CLEARFIELD- A DuBois man pleaded guilty to felony theft charges Friday for stealing multiple catalytic converters from businesses in Sandy Township.
Dana Lee Bortz, 55, was working with his brother, Jamie Brian Bortz, 49, of Jonestown in December of 2019 when they stole parts from 28 different vehicles at a car dealership on Behringer Highway, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Additional thefts followed in January and February involving three different locations, police said.
Investigators were advised that state police had arrested Dana Bortz for theft in a separate case and he was questioned in regard to these thefts.
Dana Bortz admitted to them he stole the catalytic converters from each site.
He reportedly stated that his brother, Jamie, helped him by being the lookout while he was under the vehicles.
Dana Bortz pleaded guilty before Judge Paul E. Cherry who sentenced him to 90 days to one year in jail and three years consecutive probation for theft by unlawful taking, and conspiracy/theft by unlawful taking, both felonies as well as misdemeanor theft from a motor vehicle, according to information from the probation office.
He must pay restitution of over $52,000.
In an unrelated retail theft case, he received one year concurrent probation.
Jamie Bortz was sentenced Nov. 20 to two years probation for the same charges, according to online court documents.
At that same time, Jamie Bortz pleaded guilty to terroristic threats for which he was sentenced to six months to one year in jail plus one-year probation. The theft sentence will run consecutive to this term of incarceration.
The criminal complaint details that the total value of the thefts was over $95,000.
