Former Red Sox pitcher Cody Kukuk sentenced to three years in prison

Former Boston Red Sox minor league pitcher Cody Kukuk has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, according to the Channel 6 news from Lawrence, KS, and the Lawrence-Journal World.

On November 8, 2014, Kukuk and four other defendants entered an apartment and attacked the residents therein, beating the victims and stealing cash, cellphones, and an XBox. Kukuk and another defendant fled to California to avoid arrest, but were captured and subsequently extradited back to Lawrence. Testimony at Kukuk's trial and the trials of his fellow defendants revealed that Kukuk was the key motive force behind the attack.

Prior to sentencing, 22-year-old Kukuk addressed court and said he was sorry to the court and victims. He also admitted to using a variety of drugs on the day of the crime, including cocaine, Xanax and ecstasy. The three felonies he was sentenced for were aggravated robbery, robbery and aggravated burglary.

Co-defendants previously said the crime was planned at Kukuk's house. The other suspects also told police that this wasn't the first time it happened, just the first time they were caught

Kukuk had reached a plea aggreement with prosecutors for a 40-month sentence. However, Judge Paula Martin increased this to 42 months to match the sentence earlier given to one of Kukuk's co-defendants..

In addition to his 42 month prison sentence, Kukuk was ordered to serve 36 months of post release supervision after he is released from prison. He was also ordered to register as a violent offender for 15 years after his sentence is complete. (Judge Paula) Martin ordered Kukuk to pay restitution to the victims and pay the cost of his extradition from California to Kansas.

Martin said she gave Kukuk the 42 month sentence because of his level of involvement in the crime.

"You were the one who orchestrated this, you were the one that texted your friends to come, you were the one who texted to get the gun that Mr. Johnson used. You gathered your friends together and quite frankly without you, this wouldn't have happened," she said.

Kukuk was drafted by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2011 draft from Free State High School in Lawrence, signing for an $800,000 bonus.