Man pleads guilty to thefts, ID theft
“You realize you are getting a big break here?” a Butler County judge asked a Slippery Rock man who pleaded guilty to several cases against him in county court on Wednesday, including one felony and several misdemeanors, after being charged with breaking into more than a dozen vehicles between July and August.
“I do,” responded David W. Eberhardt, 26, to Judge Timothy McCune's question after pleading guilty in four cases, including four misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property and four misdemeanor counts of theft from a motor vehicle after incidents between Aug. 12 and 15; misdemeanor identity theft after an incident on Aug. 13; felony theft after incidents between July 5 and 12; and misdemeanor receiving stolen property and access device fraud after an incident on July 4.
According to Assistant District Attorney Richard Bosco, the sentencing agreement calls for three to six months in the county jail with probation to follow, as well as restitution, fines and community service to be determined by the court.
Eberhardt has been incarcerated since Aug. 31, making it a time-served sentence when he is sentenced on June 8.
After being charged in the July 4 incident, Eberhardt admitted to using a stolen bank card used to obtain services in Butler Township.
In the July 5 to 12 incidents, Eberhardt admitted to stealing business checks from a vehicle on Gudekunst Road in Jackson Township, before forging and cashing them.
In the Aug. 13 incident, Eberhardt admitted to using a stolen credit card to make a purchase at the Walmart in Butler Township.
And in the Aug. 12 to 15 incidents, he admitted to breaking into several vehicles and stealing items, including purses, wallets, gift cards, bank cards, a bag, shoes, beauty products, a camera, a laptop and a .380-caliber handgun.
Eberhardt was charged alongside Jason P. Shilling, 25, of Butler following the rash of vehicle break-ins, with at least 15 victims, and stealing nearly $5,000 in property — including two handguns, from vehicles in Summit, Jefferson, Penn and Winfield townships.
The pair's suspected getaway driver, Kelly Wolfarth, 21, of Cranberry Township, was also charged in all but one of the break-ins.
Shilling was previously sentenced to one year of probation and Wolfarth is currently awaiting trial.
Eberhardt is currently held in the Butler County Prison on $10,000 bail.
