Arkansas woman pleads not guilty to selling stolen body parts to man in Pennsylvania

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. (TCD) -- A 36-year-old former mortuary employee pleaded not guilty last month to selling nearly $11,000 worth of stolen body parts to a man in Pennsylvania who she met in a Facebook group.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Candace Chapman Scott entered the plea Friday, April 28, in federal court in Little Rock on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

Scott allegedly stole the human remains from a mortuary where she worked and sold them to Jeremy Lee Pauley, who is based in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania.

According to NPR, Scott's employer performed cremations, including for the University of Arkansas anatomy lab. She reportedly messaged Pauley, who ran the Facebook group, and reached out to him saying, "I follow your page and work and LOVE it. Just out of curiosity, would you know anyone in the market for a fully in tact embalmed brain?"

She sent him several body parts over the span of about nine months, including two brains, a heart, kidneys, livers, penises, a whole human head, lungs, and more. Scott reportedly shipped the body parts via U.S. Postal Service.

Pauley allegedly paid her $10,975 in total.

East Pennsboro Township Police arrested Pauley in August 2022 after someone called in June to report finding human remains and human skin inside a bucket in Pauley's basement. Detectives searched his home and discovered three 5-gallon buckets with human remains inside. A forensic pathology analyzed the findings and confirmed they were, in fact, human.

NPR reports Scott's bail hearing is scheduled for Tuesday and her trial will begin May 30.

MORE:

• Little Rock woman charged with selling body parts meant for cremation - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
• Arkansas woman pleads not guilty to selling over 20 boxes of stolen human body parts - NPR
• Pa. man who collects human bones arrested for allegedly buying organs, skulls, other remains on Facebook, 8/18/2022 - TCD
• ENOLA MAN ARRESTED FOR DEALING IN STOLEN BODY PARTS, 8/18/2022 - Cumberland County District Attorney's Office