Strange: Man Arrested for Illegally Purchasing Human Remains for Resale on Facebook

(Image: Screenshot/YouTube/FOX43 News)

Cumberland County police have charged a Bloomsburg man with corpse abuse and other offenses after he reportedly attempted to purchase human remains from an Arkansas woman for resale on Facebook.

According to East Pennsboro Township Police, Jeremy Pauley, 40, was charged following an investigation that started on June 14.

Pauley, who is listed as a Bloomsburg resident on court documents but is referred to as an Enola resident by authorities, characterizes himself on Facebook as the owner/curator of The Grand Wunderkammer and the executive director and curator of the Memento Mori Museum.

According to the Grand Wunderkammer’s Facebook page, the organization is “vendors of the odd and unusual,” and its events include “museum exhibits, guest lectures, live entertainment, and so much more!”

Pauley’s personal Facebook page has over 4,900 friends.

Pauley describes the items available for purchase on his page as “medical bones,” “femurs,” “mandible bones,” “teeth,” and various other bones.

The investigation into Pauley started on June 14, when police received a call about suspicious activity at a residence on the 200 block of North Enola Road in Enola.

According to authorities, the tipster told them that an accused person, identified by police as Pauley, was purchasing human body parts and selling them on Facebook.

According to the criminal complaint affidavit filed against Pauley, investigators went to his Enola residence to question him.

According to the complaint, Pauley reportedly told investigators during the interview that he had 3 full human skeletons and 15 to 20 human skulls.

Pauley characterized himself as a collector of “oddities” and claimed the items were purchased legally.

According to the complaint, investigators determined that the items were “very old” and that Pauley obtained them through “a legitimate purchase.”

They received another call about Pauley on July 8. The caller stated that they discovered additional human remains in Pauley’s basement. According to the complaint, the caller reported containers of “human skin” and “human organs” in the basement.

Police performed a search warrant at the residence and gathered 3 to 5 buckets that included suspected human remains, which have been taken to the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office and subsequently transferred to Dauphin County for evaluation.

Further investigation revealed that Pauley was purchasing the remains from Candace Scott, a woman in Arkansas. According to Facebook Messenger conversations, Pauley paid $4,000 for several human remains from Scott.

According to police, the items were delivered to Pauley via the United States Postal Service. According to the complaint, State Police caught the remains in Scranton.

District Attorney Sean M. McCormack described the case as “one of the most bizarre investigations” he has seen in his 33 years on the job.

On July 15, police re-interviewed Pauley. According to the complaint, he did admit to buying the items from Scott and reselling them on Facebook for profit.

Pauley is charged with felony receiving stolen property, misdemeanor receiving stolen property, and felony dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, in addition to abuse of a corpse, a second-degree misdemeanor.

According to court records, Pauley is currently free after posting $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing has been set for September 14.

via

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