Scranton Reporter

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Matthew Lampi, a 50-year-old resident of East Bethel, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison. Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann handed down the sentence for Lampi's involvement in the interstate transport of stolen human remains.

United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam stated that Lampi had previously pleaded guilty to a felony indictment. He admitted to purchasing and transporting stolen human remains across state lines. The remains were initially obtained by Jeremy Pauley from Candace Chapman Scott, who worked at a mortuary and crematorium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Scott had taken parts of cadavers intended for cremation and used for research and educational purposes by a local medical school. Among these were two stillborn babies whose bodies were supposed to be returned as ashes to their families.

Scott sold these stolen remains to Pauley, who then sold them to others, including Lampi. Over time, Lampi and Pauley engaged in transactions exceeding $100,000 through online payments.

One significant item involved was the corpse of a stillborn baby named Lux. Lux's mother had arranged for her son's cremation but received ashes not belonging to him after Scott stole his body and sold it first to Pauley and then to Lampi.

In addition to his prison sentence, Chief Judge Brann ordered Lampi to pay a $2,000 fine and $1,700 restitution to Lux’s mother. Both Pauley and Chapman Scott are awaiting sentencing following their guilty pleas on federal charges in Pennsylvania and Arkansas.

This case is part of an ongoing investigation into interstate trafficking of stolen human remains involving multiple defendants charged in this district and Arkansas. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuting the case.