Man sentenced for Christmas morning desecration of Olathe Memorial Cemetery

A man who pleaded guilty to destroying an Olathe cemetery early Christmas morning last year was sentenced to 50 hours of community service, restitution for damages, probation and mental health evaluation or treatment Friday.

Alex Deason, 42, pleaded guilty in March to criminal desecration of Olathe Memorial Cemetery.

Deason was charged $7,781 in restitution for the damage he caused when he knocked over and vandalized headstones, some of which dated back to the 1800s, at the cemetery near Harold Street and Northgate in Olathe last year.

In his sentencing hearing Friday, Deason apologized for his actions and said he would like to write a personal letter to each family whose gravestones he damaged.

“I don’t know how to fix this other than to apologize and say that was not me,” Deason said, implying that he wasn’t acting like himself during the vandalism.

Deason has been ordered to make no contact with the Olathe Memorial Cemetery.

Previously, he pleaded guilty to criminal deprivation and domestic battery in 2009, disorderly conduct in 2012 and criminal damage of less than $1,000 in 2013.