EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Officials announced a man has pleaded guilty to conspiring the transfer stolen human remains.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Jeremy Pauley, 41, of Thompson, pleaded guilty to his role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary.
Pauley admitted he purchased human remains from multiple individuals knowing they were stolen remains. Pauley also admitted to selling many of the stolen remains to others, at least one of whom also knew they had been stolen.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania state the following individuals are being charged with conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods:
- Cedric Lodge, 55, of New Hampshire
- Katrina Maclean, 44, of Massachusetts
- Joshua Taylor, 46, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania
- Denise Lodge, 63, of New Hampshire
- Mathew Lampi, 52, of East Bethel, Minnesota
From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education, before their scheduled cremations, investigators stated.
Police said Lodge, at times, transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via phones and social media websites.
Police then learned Maclean and Taylor resold the stolen remains for profit, including to Pauley who lived in Pennsylvania. Pauley also purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, an Arkansas mortuary and crematorium.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
