United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, April 14, 2008, that Linda Gebert, a resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 18 months imprisonment on her conviction of charges of operating a chop shop and money laundering.

Chief United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Linda Gebert, age 59.

According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney James H. Love, between 1991 and 2003, Linda Gebert and her husband, David Gebert, stole numerous Harley Davidson motorcycles at motorcycle rallies in Florida, Georgia and South Dakota. The indictment specifically identified at least eighteen motorcycles stolen by the Geberts during that time frame. After stealing the bikes, the Geberts took them back home to their chop shop in Sarver, where they would remove the parts from the stolen bikes. The Geberts then purchased motorcycle frames from frame manufacturers and from businesses which sold wrecked Harley Davidson frames, all of which frames had legitimate Vehicle Identification Numbers ("VINs") on them. After purchasing the legitimate frames, David Gebert placed all the parts from the stolen motorcycles onto the legitimate frames and sold the re constructed Harley Davidsons to persons who believed that the bikes were legitimate.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ambrose stated that a prison term was warranted for Mrs. Gebert because she carried a firearm during the offense, handled all the bookkeeping and title applications for the stolen vehicles and was a willing participant instrumental in the theft and re-sale of numerous vehicles over a period of years.

Ms. Buchanan commended the Pennsylvania State Police, Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force, Bureau of Detectives, Butler County, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Linda Gebert.