"Despite receiving $1,959 per child from Stevie Wonder, Louis Garzone filed a welfare claim for $750 for each," the grand jury said. Still, the authorities said, families typically paid $1,000 or more for a cremation that often never occurred. The scheme included forging paperwork, such as signatures on authorization forms for donating body parts, and misleading buyers about the results of medical tests performed on the deceased, court documents said. DENVER - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced today that the operators of Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in Montrose, Colorado, were sentenced to federal prison for illegally selling body parts or entire bodies without the consent of the family of the deceased. Lee Cruceta, 35, of Monroe, N.Y., has admitted to being Most brokers who sell body parts offer to cremate part of the donor's body for free. Others were "riddled with infections.". A further eight criminal charges against her were dropped as a part of a plea deal, the newspaper added Tuesday. The Reuters series uncovered the actions of Sunset Mesa and Donor Services. "He was victimized by the funeral directors. In other instances, the topic of donation was raised by Hess or Koch, and specifically rejected by the families. A former Colorado funeral home operator has pleaded guilty to stealing and then selling hundreds of human bodies or body parts to people who were buying the remains for scientific, medical or . The funeral-home directors and their partners, two men who bought the tissue for resale, then falsified paperwork to make the "donors" appear healthy, the report said. "They have four or five deaths a day. at least 244 corpses. it was so dirty," Abraham said. Other charges against Hess will be dropped under a plea agreement, the Sentinel said. Another cutter, Chris Aldorasi, When prodded by the judge, Hess agreed with the prosecution that she defrauded her victims, though she declined to go into detail. and hepatitis when they had actually tested positive, according to the authorities. Bill's Auto Parts owner, died Sunday. Families of the dead had no idea the bodies were being ransacked. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. the families' knowledge or permission. McCafferty Funeral Home opened up in December of 1970 and has had the honor to handle many high profile funerals including longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas. Tweet. In such a growing industry, small, unaccredited outfits outnumber the accredited ones, experts said. The company sold the parts to treat burns, replace broken bones The latest Gabs from KenMatthews (@KenMatthews). Three funeral directors sold 244 corpses for about $1,000 each to a New York businessman who trafficked in the resale of often-diseased body parts, a grand jury charged Thursday. Donate your eggs to earn up to $10,000! Hess initially called the whole affair a "legal travesty." Abraham said. Thank you for visiting McCafferty Funeral & Cremation Inc. website. The transfers were done through Sunset Mesa Funeral Foundation and Donor Services, authorities said. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. is on trial in New York. fight the charges, his lawyer said. To increase sales, Hess targeted poor and vulnerable families as they grappled with a relative's final days, according to government court filings. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Even when families agreed to donation, the news release said, Hess and Koch sometimes sold the remains beyond what the family had authorized. One plea with New York prosecutors, he agreed to forfeit $4.68 million. The family of actor Tom Sizemore is currently "deciding end of life matters" following an update from doctors, according to a statement receiv. "Nobody knows the whole story," said Carmen Cologne, 47, who resides across the street. came home in one piece from the war. Written by Maya Davis. IE 11 is not supported. "No penalty is too harsh for these guys, for the just unbelievably craven nature of what they did," Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham said at a news conference. The parts could have been transplanted into as many as 13,000 patients, the Food and Drug Administration estimated. In fact, the grand jury said, the lack of oversight helped Mastromarino go undetected for years, and it recommended a raft of changes that state and federal overseers should make. All he was supposed to do was come and harvest the tissue and send the samples down to the processors," defense lawyer Mario Gallucci said. Michael Mastromarino, who operated the now-defunct Biomedical Tissue Services of Fort Lee, N.J., ran the scheme with help from a team of "cutters" who stole the body parts, authorities said. parts, Peruto said. Updated: 7:04 PM MST January 5, 2023. Two funeral home operators in Colorado were sentenced Wednesday for illegally selling bodies and body parts without the families consent, the US Attorneys Office said. Many families received ashes from bins mixed with the remains of different cadavers, authorities said, and one client received concrete mix instead of a relative's ashes. During the hearing, the judge asked Hess to describe in her own words the crimes she committed. Many families received ashes mixed with the remains of different cadavers, prosecutors said. last year but continued to run their two homes in Philadelphia, Experts estimate that a single body can be worth $100,000 in parts, and the industry as a whole has topped $1 billion in revenue per year. Cruceta, who lives in Monroe, N.Y., said he believes his client is The defendants conduct was horrific and morbid and driven by greed, US Attorney Cole Finegan said. "They were motivated by greed.". You have permission to edit this article. Instead of cremating the bodies, she harvested heads, spines, arms and legs and then sold them, according to court records. We are available 24 hours a day, everyday of the year for emergency death care. A Colorado funeral home operator accused of illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes has pleaded guilty to mail fraud in federal court. They want Michael Mastromarino to serve an additional 20 to 40 years in Philadelphia . It was not immediately known if the three funeral directors had attorneys. Mastromarino plans to surrender Tuesday and will fight the charges, his lawyer said. her fear. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A lawyer for This is the cost to purchase a burial vault from the funeral home. thousands of counts, ranging from running a corrupt organization to "One of the cutters said it was like the back of a butcher shop, it was so dirty," Abraham said. (Reuters) - A second Colorado woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday to defrauding relatives of the dead as part of a scheme in which a funeral home sold body parts without permission . When asked to describe the crime in a United States District Court in Grand Junction, Tuesday, Hess said, "I exceeded the scope of the consent and I'm trying to make an effort to make it right," reported The Daily Sentinel. A Colorado funeral home operator accused of illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday by a federal court judge. "I love Louis.". They told the judge that while they were still emotionally reeling from the episode and wanted to learn more details about what occurred, they welcomed the news that Hess had decided to plead guilty. The defendants typically made up names for the donors and forged family consent forms, the indictment said. CNNs Julie In and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report. REUTERS. team of "cutters" who stole the body parts, authorities said. . The stolen bones . FOR TRANSFERRING BODY ONLY. cannot be certain of her claim because of the lack of records or a "For them, nothing was beyond the pale - not stealing flesh and bones from the dead or lying to the bereaved, not forging and lying on thousands of documents, not putting the public's health at risk," the report said. Investigators found 112 cases in which the three men charged indigent clients for services - then billed welfare as well. South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been sentenced to life without parole in the fatal shootings of his wife, son. Seven Prior to the raid, the cost of purchasing an arm and shoulder was $600. The empty Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors & Donor Services in Montrose, Colorado. In Philadelphia, most of the bodies were scheduled for cremation Hundreds of patient lawsuits have been filed in federal court in New Jersey and state courts around the country. Funeral directors Louis Garzone, 65, of Philadelphia; his Obituaries from the McCafferty-Sweeney Funeral Home, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lee Cruceta, a former nurse who allegedly ran the cutting crew. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, While the mostly poor families thought their loved ones were A grand jury indictment charges that they were paid $1,000 per Sell your breast milk for $1-$3 per ounce. 2. 1,700 counts charged, such as running a criminal enterprise and The three Philadelphia suspects were taken into custody and it was not immediately clear if they had attorneys. donors had died of heart attacks or blunt-force trauma but were Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. corpse to let Mastromarino's "cutters" hack up bodies, without The United States Attorney's Office for the District . In court documents, a former employee accused Hess of earning $40,000 by extracting and selling the gold teeth of some of the deceased, an allegation first revealed in the 2018 Reuters report. The founder of that company, Michael Mastromarino, a dentist stripped of his license for drug offenses, and his partner, Lee Cruceta, also were charged yesterday. with the body parts being transplanted in unsuspecting medical Mom Who Vanished While Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 2018, Missouri Man Killed 4-Year-Old Girl by Beating, Dunking Her in Icy Pond as Part of 'Religious-Type Episode', Sherri Papini, Who Once Paid Off Credit Cards with Donations from Hoax, Now Owes $309,688 in Restitution, Socialite Mom Pleads Guilty to Secretly Filming Minors for 'Sexual Pleasure' in Her Conn. Colorado funeral home owners sentenced to federal prison for selling body parts without families' permission Judge sentences Megan Hess to 20 years in prison and gives Shirley Koch a 15-year . The defendants typically made up names for the donors and also forged family consent forms, the indictment said. CNN has reached out to an attorney for Hess for comment. REUTERS/Mike Wood/File Photo. Parts & Accessories; Church Trucks. Despite surrendering their licenses, the two Garzone funeral homes have continued operating under the control of a third brother, James, who revived a dormant Pennsylvania funeral home director license. Wales, and James McCafferty, 37, of Philadelphia, have pleaded not Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. "Meeting with hospice on the 4th opening the floodgates of donors," Hess wrote to a prospective body-part buyer in 2014. In Kensington, neighbors defended Louis Garzone. Those body parts were sold to at least five processing companies and one major distributor. The pair charged customers $1,000 or more for cremations that never occurred. years in Philadelphia, where they say his team of cutters plundered Megan Hess, 46, pleaded guilty to fraud in July. If you wish to speak to Mark McCafferty right away please call 215-531-5014 or 215-432-8339 (cell) or 267-978-8869 (cell). conspiracy, they said. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. The company sold the parts to treat burns, replace broken bones and provide for other medical needs, the 111-page indictment said. According to NBC, Hess is scheduled to be sentenced in January. The three funeral-home directors - Louis Garzone, 65; his brother Gerald Garzone, 47; and James A. McCafferty Jr., 37 - were accused of plundering 244 cadavers between February 2004 and September 2005. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The operator of a Colorado funeral home who was accused of stealing body parts and selling them to medical and scientific buyers, making hundreds of thousands of dollars in what the . Quick view $ 114.95 . The U.S. Attorney's Office for . Mastromarino, who ran a now-defunct company called Biomedical Tissue Services, is already facing charges in New York for allegedly plundering 1,077 bodies, including those from Philadelphia. made millions on the scheme, prosecutors say. July 5, 2022. Christian's grandfather was one of the victims at Sunset Mesa Funeral Home. A lawyer for Cruceta, who lives in Monroe, N.Y., said he believes his client is innocent. "He was victimized by the funeral directors. The Garzone brothers each own a funeral home and McCafferty was the director at a funeral home owned by his mother, the report said. How about a deal on full embalmed spines $950?. "I've yet to be shown a single shred of evidence that he knew The two women also delivered cremated remains to families that did not belong to the families loved ones, the news release said. Koch's change-of-plea hearing is set for July 12. of death to make it appear the body parts were more fresh, Auto Body Shops Auto Glass Repair Auto Parts Auto Repair Car Detailing Oil Change Roadside Assistance Tire Shops Towing Window Tinting. After the body parts were removed, the deceased were taken across the street to Liberty for cremation. Several funeral home operators in New York have also pleaded Of the 244 bodies here, he changed the names on all but 48. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A Colorado funeral home operator accused of illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes has been sentenced to 20 years in prison By The Associated Press January 4, 2023, 12:16 AM But the sale of cadavers and body parts for use in research or education, which is what Hess did, is not regulated by federal law. "He's going to plead not guilty, and from what I've heard, the amount that's been suggested for bail is excessive. The women ran Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in Montrose, Colorado. That term was cut short Sunday morning when Mastromarino, 49, died at a New York hospital. All rights reserved. by the Garzones. "No penalty is too harsh for these guys, for the just Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. learned the true identities of only 48 of the 244 bodies, Abraham GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) A Colorado funeral home operator accused of illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday by a federal court . because there are bodies in Pennsylvania," Peruto said. The income the mother and daughter earned from selling body parts enabled them to become the cheapest option for cremations in their region, increasing their supply of cadavers, the authorities said. Expand. "It seems like this in this case . Seven funeral directors there have pleaded guilty, including one whose funeral home allegedly removed parts from the body of the late "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair Cooke. innocent. Sell your hair to earn up to $4,000! Megan Hess was sentenced to 20 years in prison and her mother, Shirley Koch, received 15 years for their involvement in the scheme to sell the human remains to body broker services, according to federal prosecutors. Philadelphia on Friday, but defense lawyer Charles A. Peruto Jr. Hatboro woman facing charges after racist rant at pizzeria, Eagles wide receiver assaulted, robbed at gunpoint in Maryland, Tom Sizemore dead at 61 after suffering brain aneurysm, Man missing since 2021 was murdered, co-worker arrested: DA, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say, Brian Laundrie was 'emotional bully,' Petito family lawsuit says, Pa. woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison; defense to appeal, Woman has gun held to her head during home invasion: Police, Temple faculty union could hold no-confidence vote on Monday, Pennsylvania lawmaker says he won't quit amid sex misconduct claim. PHILADELPHIA Three funeral directors sold hundreds of bodies to a former oral surgeon who allegedly collected the bones, tissue and skin from the corpses to be used in transplants, a grand jury charged Thursday after a 16-month investigation. Second plea in U.S. funeral home scheme to sell body parts. 1748 W Erie Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19140. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) A Colorado funeral home operator accused of illegally selling body parts and giving clients fake ashes was sentenced to 20 years in prison . Charges also were filed against Louis and Gerald Garzone's funeral homes and the crematorium, but not the McCafferty funeral home. Megan Hess, who operated a funeral home called Sunset Mesa and a human body parts business called Donor Services from the same building, entered the plea to the charge of fraud at a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gordon Gallagher in Grand Junction, Colorado. Former workers told Reuters about questionable practices at the facility, including the dismembering of bodies without the knowledge or consent of families. processors," defense lawyer Mario Gallucci said Thursday. Two family members and one friend of deceased people whose body parts were sold without permission by Hess spoke at the hearing. Mobi Medical Supply also offers quality mortuary stretchers and cots for the funeral home and removal services industry. They took advantage of numerous victims who were at their lowest point given the recent loss of a loved one. The cause was bone and brain cancer, said his attorney, Mario Gallucci. The shipments went through the mail or on commercial air flights in violation of Department of Transportation regulations regarding the transportation of hazardous materials,the news release said. Published Dec 19, 2008. Mastromarino then falsified paperwork to change the causes of death, the age of the deceased and their medical history, the grand jury said. Nine-year-old Lyric Jones and her mother, Teran Christian, stand outside the courthouse in Grand Junction, Colorado, on Tuesday. A Colorado woman who operated a funeral home pleaded guilty to fraud this week after being accused of stealing and selling bodies and body parts, officials said. He did not appear at a pretrial hearing in The grand jury report said, though, that James Garzone is not the one in charge. The elaborate scheme also included forged paperwork and "misleading buyers about the results of medical tests" performed on the bodies, added the Times, citing court documents. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "In many instances, Koch and Hess neither discussed nor obtained authorization for donation of decedents' bodies or body parts for body broker services," the news release said. Indicted on similar counts were Brooklyn residents Mastromarino, who lost his oral surgery license amid unrelated drug charges, and Lee Cruceta, a former nurse who allegedly ran the cutting crew. One client received a concrete mix instead of the remains of their loved one. Prosecutors are calling for Hess, who had previously pleaded not guilty, to be sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison. I exceeded the scope of the consent and Im trying to make an effort to make it right, Ms. Hess said in United States District Court in Grand Junction, Colo., on Tuesday, according to The Daily Sentinel. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Mccafferty Funeral Home locations in Ambler, PA. . She also offered free cremations in exchange for a body donation. The 244 bodies fetched about $1,000 each, the grand jury found, Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? replacements and other procedures around the country. So far, authorities have learned the true identities of only 48 of the 244 bodies, Abraham said. Her defense attorney has requested a lighter sentence of two years. "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair Cooke. Mastromarino often filled in phony information on death $1,700. Megan Hess who operated the Sunset Mesa funeral home in Montroseand a human body parts business called Donor Services from the same building admitted in federal court Tuesday to defrauding at least a dozen families who had paid to have their late loved ones cremated. Funeral directors Louis Garzone, 65, of Philadelphia, Gerald Garzone, 47, of North Wales, and James McCafferty, 37, of Philadelphia, were arrested Thursday on thousands of counts, ranging from running a corrupt organization to forgery and theft of body parts. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado said in a release Tuesday, that Meghan Hess, 45, of Montrose, Colorado had pleaded guilty to running a complex fraud "devised and executed to steal the bodies or body parts of hundreds of victims," from 2010 to 2018. "There was no basis for us to take any action against James.". guilty and, along with Mastromarino, are set for trial on Sept. 2. McCafferty, 38, received significantly less time compared to his co-conspirators . Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. She could face up to 20 years in prison. Mastromarino will also testify, if necessary, against his Hess then "sold those remains to victims purchasing the remains for scientific, medical, or educational purposes," the release added. But prosecutors here are balking at any 2-for-1 deal. Ms. Hess and her mother sometimes obtained consent from families to donate small tissue samples or tumors of their dead relative, according to an indictment in the case. 20 years for crimes in both states. On his way to dispose the luggage, a amdk Samaritan saw the man struggling with the luggage and offered to help. After Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Chaffin made his sentencing recommendation, the lawyer for Hess, Dan Shaffer, urged a lighter sentence of about two years in prison. He has agreed to help locate records for the families and PHILADELPHIA Three funeral directors sold hundreds of bodies IE 11 is not supported. The grand jury said five Philadelphia and 41 Pennsylvania hospitals implanted parts that originated with Mastromarino's operation. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Deli worker killed in apparent robbery on Upper East Side, Lori Lightfoot lost for failing Chicago not because voters are racist/sexist, Investigators want to exhume body of Alex Murdaughs dead housekeeper, Accused pedophile mayor called Pete Buttigieg his buddy and mentor, paid to have their late loved ones cremated. Instead of cremating the bodies, court records show, her body broker company harvested heads, spines, arms and legs and then sold them, mostly for surgical training and other educational purposes. The Daily Sentinel reportsthat Megan Hess faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison after entering the plea Tuesday in Grand Junction. A change of plea hearing for Koch, who initially pleaded not guilty, is scheduled for July 12 added the outlet. then sold to the tissue banks for dental implants, knee and hip The three funeral-home directors - Louis Garzone, 65; his brother Gerald Garzone, 47; and James A. McCafferty Jr., 37 - were accused of plundering 244 cadavers between February 2004 and September 2005. Hess has been free on bond since her arrest. 2023 Cable News Network. About a month after the Reuters stories, the FBI raided the site and state regulators shuttered the funeral home and crematory. Without knowledge or consent, the women disrespected the wishes of the grieving victims and degraded the bodies of their family members to sell them for profit, Carollo said. and provide for other medical needs, the 111-page indictment said. Three Philadelphia funeral-home directors were charged yesterday with turning their businesses into gruesome human chop shops that pilfered bones and tissue from the dead to fuel a booming, $1 billion transplant industry. An attorney for Koch, Thomas E. Goodreid, declined to comment. Prosecution seeks 12-15 year prison sentence, Colorado funeral home harvested and sold body parts. Megan Hess and her mother Shirley Koch defrauded over 200 families by handing over random ashes while selling body parts of deceased individuals entrusted to their funeral home. alleged underlings, three funeral home operators from North The company sold the body parts to treat burns, replace broken bones and provide for other medical needs, the indictment said. The three Philadelphia suspects were taken into custody and it
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