United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, May 28, 2008, that David Gebert, a former resident of Sarver, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 60 months' imprisonment with 30 months to be served consecutive with a 20-year sentence imposed in South Dakota.

Chief United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on David Gebert, age 60, of Saver (Butler County), Pennsylvania.

According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney James H. Love, between 1991 and 2003, David Gebert and his wife, Linda Gebert, operated a chop shop in Butler County and 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.

Mrs. Gebert was previously sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.

Mr. Gebert was ordered to pay $432,000 in restitution, $350,000 of which he has already paid into Court.