Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Vandalizing Matt Garza’s Ferrari

Yesterday, a man was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of vandalizing a Ferrari owned by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Matt Garza.

According to a report by Pablo Lopez of the Fresno Bee (h/t Jim Goulart - @Mass_Haas on Twitter) Kenneth Ray Smith, 52, confessed to breaking into the detached four-car garage of the Garza’s Clovis, CA home by smashing a window on April 27th. Matt was not at the home but his family was, and they hid inside the house while waiting for authorities to arrive.

A Ferrari owned by Garza was reported to have suffered some $25,000 worth of damage from several “softball sized rocks” that were found inside the garage while some of the family’s personal belongings in the garage were “rifled through.”

Smith was charged with burglary and vandalism, however he was only convicted of the vandalism charge by a jury back in September. He offered to pay the cost of the damages rather than go to prison, and his attorneys argued for a lesser sentence because of his struggles with homelessness and alcohol and drug abuse, as well as some possible mental issues.

At sentencing, however, Judge Houry Sanderson became upset with Smith, berating him for implying that the crime was harmless because of the Garza family’s financial well-being. The prosecution called Smith’s plea for a lesser sentence an insult to the homeless people who struggle to survive everyday and do not commit crimes. Smith has previously served time for bank robbery and has been in drug counseling. According to the judge, Smith’s “lack of desire to conform to society” as well as his unwillingness to take personal responsibility for his actions helped the judge settle on a prison term as punishment.

“You could have gotten help,” Sanderson said at the hearing.

Matt Garza, a native Californian who went to high school and college in Fresno, signed with the Brewers as a free agent on a four year, $50 mil deal prior to the 2014 season. During his three seasons in Milwaukee, Garza has thrown 413.2 innings of 4.57 ERA baseball with 6.5 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 and has generally not lived up to the expectations that come with signing the largest free agent contract in club history. 2017 is the final guaranteed season of his contract with the Brewers, though there is a club option for 2018.

The 32 year old was the Twins’ first round pick back in 2005 and he has spent parts of the last 11 seasons in the major leagues with Minnesota, the Rays, the Cubs, the Rangers, and the Brewers. For his career he owns a 4.03 ERA in 1596.0 innings pitched. He and his wife Serina have six children together.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference