Two plead guilty to damaging Saratoga Springs statue

The Native Dancer statue is seen at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs on Tuesday, August 25, 2015.

The two men accused of damaging the Native Dancer statue in Saratoga Springs last November have pleaded guilty to criminal mischief charges, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said Thursday.

Kenneth Martin, 24, of Ballston Spa, and Julius Simmons, 23, of Saratoga Springs, pleaded guilty in City Court Thursday to fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, Heggen said.

The pair acknowledged having damaged the statue in Congress Park facing Union Avenue, which was donated to the city last year by Marylou Whitney and her husband, John Hendrickson, in honor of the city’s centennial year. The statue has since been repaired.

Heggen said the two defendants were given conditional discharges on condition that they perform 250 hours of community service with the city Department of Public Works within the next year, pay $3,281 in restitution, and avoid future arrests for a year.

Heggen noted that the security system around the statue helped lead to the quick arrests of Martin and Simmons after the Nov. 20 incident, in which lighting was knocked out and other damage done.

“There was no reason or excuse for the defendants’ damage to such a significant piece of art in Congress Park,” Heggen said.

Assistant District Attorney Charles Bucca prosecuted the case.