A man who claimed he didn’t know he was helping steal two high-end mountain bikes from downtown Aspen while high on drugs two years ago was sentenced Tuesday to three years probation.

David Hietapelto, 41, of Glenwood Springs previously pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft for the thefts, which occurred in July 2020.

He apologized Tuesday to the owners of the $5,000 Trek and the $6,000 Yeti bikes he helped load into his truck behind the Meat and Cheese restaurant at the behest of Jonathan Brooks, 33, who allegedly stole the bikes. He said Brooks was an employee working with him who went to explore Aspen and came back riding a bike, which Hietapelto said he didn’t think was odd.

“I just wasn’t paying attention, probably because I was high on drugs,” he said. “I would not have loaded them in my truck if I had known they were stolen.”

He said he paid $500 to get the Trek back from someone in Glenwood Springs and returned it to Aspen police, though prosecutor Don Nottingham said the bike had been painted and stripped of quality components by that time.

Hietapelto and Brooks were caught on video surveillance in the alley loading the bikes into his truck.

Brooks pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor theft in February 2021 and was sentenced to 18 months probation.