PARMA, Ohio — The three men who were arrested for allegedly removing and damaging Parma's iconic pink flamingo statue were sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
Judge Deanna O'Donnell sentenced 25-year-old Taylor Pupkiewicz, 25-year-old Marcus Balue and 24-year-old David Burak to 180 days in jail, a $500 fine, and 500 hours of community service. The trio will serve a total of nine days behind bars after 170 days of the jail sentence were suspended, plus a credit for one night served.
The men were originally charged with vandalism, a fifth-degree felony. As part of the plea deal, the charge was reduced to misdemeanor attempted theft.
"This is a complete lack of respect for the community you live in," O'Donnell told the three men as she pronounced her sentence. "It is a complete disregard for every person that works so hard to make this city a beautiful place to call home."
According to the Parma Police Department, the incident occurred at approximately 5 a.m. on May 25 when "unknown offenders unlawfully removed the pink flamingo that was previously situated next to the script Parma sign near the splash pad on W. Ridgewood Dr." The flamingo was later recovered approximately 50 feet north of its original location, but had been damaged.
The flamingo statue was installed earlier this year after a donation by Bob Funk, who was honoring his late wife and daughter, both of whom died of breast cancer.
"While this is not the crime of the century, it is a gut punch to Mr. Robert Funk, who so graciously donated thousands and thousands of dollars to get this statue here in the city in honor of his deceased wife and his deceased daughter who both died of cancer. Cancer stole his wife and daughter and you thought it would be okay to steal more," O'Donnell added.
O'Donnell ruled that half of the community service hours the trio must perform be done at the University Heights Parma Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society, or the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The three men will also be on probation for 36 months.
"Jail time starts today," she told the three defendants as they left the courtroom.