Former Mortuary Worker Indicted After Selling Stolen Body Parts For $11,000

A former mortuary worker pleaded not guilty to charges related to selling stolen body parts from medical school cadavers to a Pennsylvania man she met on the internet for almost $11,000.

Candace Chapman Scott, 36, pleaded not guilty to multiple counts, including mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. She is currently behind bars and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday to determine whether or not she will be released on bail.

Scott worked at the Arkansas Central Mortuary Services, where she was tasked with embalming, transporting, and the cremation of remains. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences uses the location for cadavers donated to science. 

Scott met Jeremy Lee Pauley, identified through Pennsylvania state charges, through a Facebook “oddities” group. She approached him in October 2021 and offered up body parts for sale.

“Just out of curiosity, would you know anyone in the market for a fully in tact, embalmed brain?” Scott wrote in a Facebook message, according to the indictment. 

Over the next nine months, Pauley purchased various remains totaling $10,975 through 16 separate PayPal transactions. KATV reports that he bought fetuses, brains, genitalia, hearts, lungs, and other parts. Pennsylvania authorities uncovered the plot after receiving a complaint about Pauley. 

Pauley is also facing charges in connection to the scheme. He was charged with receiving stolen property, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, receiving stolen property, and abuse of a corpse. Pauley is currently free on bail and scheduled to appear in court on June 7.