A Pennsylvania man has been arrested and charged with nearly 500 offenses tied to a series of alleged break-ins at graves and mausoleums across the state.
Jonathan Gerlach, 34, was taken into custody Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon, Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said in a statement. Investigators later searched Gerlach’s home in Ephrata, where authorities say they found hundreds of skeletal remains.
On Thursday, Jan. 8, Gerlach was charged with 496 counts, including 100 counts each of abuse of corpse, theft by unlawful taking, and receiving stolen property.
The remaining 196 counts include 26 counts each of burglary, criminal trespass, intentional desecration of a public monument, intentional desecration of a venerated object, intentional desecration of historical lots and burial places, and criminal mischief. He also faces seven counts of “defiant trespasser — fenced/enclosed” and seven counts of “defiant trespasser — posted.”
According to the district attorney’s office, around 8 p.m. on Jan. 6, Yeadon Police Detective Leah Cesanek and Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Detective Chris Karr were conducting surveillance at Mt. Moriah Cemetery when they spotted “numerous bones and skulls” in “plain view” in the backseat of Gerlach’s vehicle.
Rouse alleged that Gerlach was then seen leaving the cemetery carrying a burlap bag, a crowbar, and other items. He was taken into custody, and police say he admitted to stealing approximately 30 sets of human remains.
After a search warrant was issued, officers with the Delaware County CID, the Ephrata Police Department, and Middle Creek Search and Rescue searched Gerlach’s home and storage unit. Authorities allege they discovered more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains.
“Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life the other night. This is an unbelievable scene,” Rouse said in the news release.
Rouse also alleged that some of the remains were those of children, including infants only months old, according to ABC 6. He further claimed that some remains appeared to be around 200 years old, while others were “much newer.”
“There’s one with a pacemaker still attached to the body,” Rouse added.
Authorities said the remains were found in varying conditions. “Some were hanging as it were. Some were pieced together, some were skulls on a shelf,” Rouse said, according to ABC 6. He added that investigators recovered “an awful lot of bones” and are working to determine who the remains belong to, where they came from, and how many individuals are involved—warning that it could take significant time before a final count is confirmed.
Police believe the remains may have been taken from other nearby cemeteries as well. It remains unclear whether Gerlach sold any of the remains or what motivated the alleged collection.
“I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through it, who are trying to figure out if it is in fact their loved one or their child,” Rouse said in the news release.
The arrest follows an investigation into a string of alleged burglaries at graves and mausoleums between Nov. 7, 2025, and Jan. 6.
In addition to the cemetery investigation, authorities are also looking into a Facebook group Gerlach was connected to called “Human Bones and Skull Selling Group.” He was tagged and photographed holding a skull on the page, ABC 6 reported.
Gerlach is being held on $1 million bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20. The investigation remains ongoing.
