Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Interstate Human Remains Trafficking in Pennsylvania Federal Court

A Massachusetts woman has entered a guilty plea in a Pennsylvania federal court for her role in the interstate transport of human remains stolen from the Harvard Medical School Anatomical Gifts Program. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Katrina Maclean, 46, of Bradford, Massachusetts, appeared before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann in Williamsport to plead guilty to the charge. This legal action concludes a significant chapter in a multi-state investigation concerning the black market sale of donated cadaver parts intended for medical research and education.

Maclean admitted to authorities that she engaged in the purchase and transport of human remains from 2018 through 2022, knowing that the materials had been illicitly removed from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Her admitted activities included moving the stolen remains from Massachusetts into Pennsylvania. Furthermore, Maclean engaged in the resale of these stolen remains to other individuals, including Jeremy Pauley, who has already entered a guilty plea in connection with the conspiracy.

The systematic theft originated at Harvard Medical School, where Cedric Lodge managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program. Over the four-year period from 2018 to 2022, Lodge stole various organs and other parts belonging to cadavers that had been generously donated for medical purposes and research, prior to their scheduled cremations. Lodge subsequently transported the stolen human remains from Boston to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire. He and his wife, Denise Lodge, then coordinated the sale of the remains to Maclean and other buyers, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media platforms. Maclean, in turn, facilitated the transportation of some of these stolen remains into Pennsylvania.

The legal proceedings in the Middle District of Pennsylvania are part of a larger federal crackdown that has implicated several individuals across multiple states. A number of co-defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Jeremy Pauley, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra. While Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, and Andrew Ensanian are currently awaiting sentencing for their respective roles, others have already faced judgment. Matthew Lampi received a 15-month prison sentence, and Angelo Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months. The extensive nature of the illegal remains trafficking network also involved Candace Chapman-Scott, who separately pled guilty in Arkansas federal court after stealing remains from a crematorium where she worked before selling them to Pauley in Pennsylvania. Chapman-Scott received a 15-year prison sentence.

For residents of Pennsylvania, where the remains were transported and the prosecution is centered, these convictions underscore the commitment of federal law enforcement to hold accountable those who exploit and violate the sanctity of human remains donated for the public good. The successful prosecution of these cases helps protect the integrity of anatomical donation programs relied upon by medical institutions throughout the country.

Maclean faces substantial penalties under federal law for the offense of interstate transport of stolen human remains. The maximum sentence for this felony includes up to 10 years in federal imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release, and a significant fine. The final sentence for Maclean will be determined by the presiding Judge following a comprehensive review of the relevant federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The investigation that led to Maclean’s plea was carried out jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case for the government.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

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