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'Amish Mafia' Star's Car Chase Leads to Prison Sentence

By Betty Wang, JD on August 09, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

"Amish Mafia" star Alan Beiler has been sentenced to a three- to 23-month stint in prison, reports The Associated Press.

The 35-year-old star of the Discovery Channel reality show led Pennsylvania state troopers on a car chase last summer that resulted in a trooper getting injured.

Beiler pleaded guilty in May to charges of drug possession, driving with a suspended license, and attempting to elude officers. What do these charges mean?

Real-Life Drama for Reality TV Star

Prior to the "Amish Mafia" star's car chase, police were attempting to pull him over for driving with an expired car registration, which is another charge in and of itself. This led to a chase in which Beiler was driving against traffic.

One of the troopers who was chasing Beiler crashed and suffered a concussion, according to the AP.

Attempting to elude law-enforcement officers is illegal, and statutes vary by state.

In Pennsylvania, the offense occurs when any driver willfully fails or refuses to bring his car to a stop, or otherwise flees or attempts to elude a pursuing police officer after having been given a visual and/or audible signal to stop their car. In this case, that's exactly what Beiler apparently did.

Driving With Suspended License

While reports do not indicate whether Beiler's actual driver's license was suspended, one can still be arrested for the offense simply for having an expired driver's license or expired car registration.

The state of Pennsylvania punishes the offense of "driving with a suspended license" with a fine of $200 for first-timers, and possible extended suspension time, depending on the circumstances.

Reports also don't disclose what exact type of drugs Beiler was found with, but possession of marijuana or any other drugs in Pennsylvania can lead to hefty fines and possible jailtime, which he received.

Also not clear: the effect of Alan Beiler's prison sentence on his future role in the "Amish Mafia" TV series. The show, which debuted in December, begins its second season next week.

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