Arkansas Woman Sentenced for Trafficking Human Body Parts in Grisly Underground Network
An Arkansas woman faces 15 years in prison for stealing and selling body parts, unraveling a chilling underground market of human remains. đ #News #LittleRockAR #Arkansas #Crime
LITTLE ROCK, AR – A shocking case of macabre crime has rocked Arkansas, where a former mortuary worker was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for trafficking human body parts in a disturbing underground market. The scheme involved selling remainsâincluding fetusesâto an eccentric collector who flaunts an appearance covered in facial tattoos and piercings.
Candace Chapman Scott, 37, was at the center of the horrifying operation, exploiting her position at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Anatomical Gift Program.
Over the course of several months, Scott funneled human remains to Jeremy Lee Pauley, a self-proclaimed âcollector of odditiesâ from Thompson, Pennsylvania. The two initially connected through a Facebook group that openly discussed the sale of human body parts, investigators revealed.
Details of the Disturbing Trade
Between October 2021 and July 2022, Scott sold a grisly collection of body parts, which included skulls, brains, hearts, and even fetuses, for over $10,000.
Prosecutors detailed how Pauley received the remains through the mail in a series of 24 packages, forming part of a broader network linked to similar crimes involving other institutions, including Harvard Medical School.
When authorities raided Scottâs home, they uncovered evidence of her grisly activities, including additional body parts she admitted to taking from her workplace. In one particularly appalling detail, Scott reportedly replaced the ashes of cremated remains with others to deceive grieving families, returning the wrong ashes to the parents of deceased children.
One family, in particular, learned the horrifying truth when the FBI recovered the body of their child, Baby Lux, in another state. The tragic discovery left the family devastated, with prosecutors describing the crime as âbeyond comprehension.â
A Network of Depravity
Pauley, who purchased the remains, is awaiting sentencing after admitting to charges related to interstate trafficking of stolen human body parts. His connection to Scott exposed a larger, twisted underground market catering to collectors of human remains.
Scottâs sentencing comes after she pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit mail fraud and the transportation of stolen human body parts. Prosecutors described her actions as âinhuman,â citing the immense emotional damage inflicted on families who trusted her with the remains of their loved ones.
Unimaginable Consequences for Families
For the families affected, the pain is unimaginable. The mother of Baby Lux described her anguish, saying she is haunted by the thought of her childâs body being shipped across the country âlike a package.â The courtroom was filled with emotion as details of the case were recounted.
While Scott expressed remorse during sentencing, the federal judge overseeing the case emphasized the extraordinary severity of her crimes. Investigators called it a chilling reminder of the dark underworld of human trafficking, where criminals exploit trust for profit.
The FBI, which spearheaded the investigation, vowed to continue working to bring justice to victims of such heinous crimes.
RELATED TOPICS: Arkansas | Crime | Pennsylvania
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