[MSN] Man pleads guilty to theft of Algonquin statue, ordered to pay restitution

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chicagotribune.com
Man pleads guilty to theft of Algonquin statue, ordered to pay restitution
He is ordered to pay restitution
By Amanda Marrazzo

Special to the Tribune

11:18 PM CST, December 6, 2007

A man accused of stealing a concrete statute of an Indian girl aiming her
bow and arrow at the sky-an Algonquin landmark for more than 70 years-was
ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution Thursday after pleading guilty to a
misdemeanor theft charge.

McHenry County prosecutors dropped more serious charges against Brandon L.
Johnson, 23, in exchange for the guilty plea.

Johnson also was sentenced to 12 months of conditional discharge and ordered
to pay $100 to McHenry County Crime Stoppers and $100 toward the cost of his
defense, which was provided by Christopher Harmon, an assistant public
defender.

The 4-foot statue, known as Shooting Star, had been on a pedestal atop a
fountain at Main Street and Algonquin Road until it was taken on June 3,
2006. Detectives quickly found the statue after following pieces of broken
concrete to the porch of a home in the 100 block of Main Street.

Since then, the damaged Shooting Star statue has been in a police evidence
vault. Officials say it will be repaired, but it may not be returned to its
former location.

"We are not going to get rid of it," said William Ganek, Algonquin village
manager. "We will definitely repair it, then make the decision whether it
should go outside or go on display at the Historic Commission."

Ganek said the $2,000 in restitution should cover the cost of repairs, based
on initial estimates.

At a hearing in McHenry County Circuit Court, Harmon said Johnson "expressed
remorse over his behavior."

Judge Joseph P. Condon also ordered Johnson to submit to a drug screening
within 45 days.

Shooting Star was created by George Suchy, a resident who donated it to the
village to help celebrate its centennial in 1935. The artist used as a model
the painting of an Indian girl that hung in his living room.

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