Man Faces Hundreds of Charges Over Alleged Grave Robbery

A 34-year-old man is facing close to 500 criminal charges after authorities found multiple bodies that were reportedly taken from a grave in Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Gerlach, from Ephrata, was caught by investigators leaving the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery and Arboretum in Yeadon with a burlap sack and a crowbar.

In his vehicle, police discovered numerous bones and a skull that were visibly placed in the back seat.

It’s claimed that Gerlach confessed to stealing remains from over 30 cemeteries. Officials were reportedly horrified upon searching his home and storage facility.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse remarked at a press conference, “Detectives who entered that home described it as akin to a horror film. It’s genuinely terrifying. I can’t imagine the distress the families affected are feeling as they wonder if these are their loved ones.”

Authorities also learned that Gerlach was involved in a Facebook group dedicated to buying and selling human remains.

Charges began to be filed against him last Friday, but he faces additional allegations from surrounding counties.

Judy Pritchard McCreary expressed her dismay over the theft of remains from her great-grandfather’s mausoleum at Mount Moriah, built in 1915. “It truly makes me sick to my stomach that anyone would do such a thing,” she said, adding that it’s shocking for people to be able to sell body parts online.

Law enforcement sources shared with KYW-TV that Gerlach was found with the bodies of two children inside a gunny sack. There are indications that a plea deal may be in the works.

McCleary suggested that penalties for grave robbing need to be increased to deter future offenders. “I believe the law should change,” she stated. “We can’t ignore this issue; it will likely reoccur in a few years, and people will ask why no action was taken.”

Gerlach is currently held on a $1 million bail at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.