Police believe a Pennsylvania man attempted to purchase stolen human remains from an Arkansas woman in order to resell them on Facebook*, USA Today reported on Friday.
According to the report, the individual was charged with abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen goods, among other offenses. The donation of the remains to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' facility was confirmed by a representative for the Little Rock campus.
Jeremy Lee Pauley, 40, of Enola, Pennsylvania, was detained and charged by Pennsylvania's East Pennsboro Township Police. Pauley reportedly made his initial court appearance on Thursday after being detained on July 22. A $50,000 bond was used to release Pauley, according to court documents.
The remains were reportedly instead taken from Arkansas Central Mortuary Services in Little Rock by a female mortuary employee.
“We are very respectful of those who donate their bodies, and we are appalled that such a thing could happen,” a UAMS spokeswoman told the outlet.
Pauley uploaded images of bags and stacks of femurs on a Facebook profile that bears his name. One of the images reportedly has the caption: "Picked up more medical bones to sort through."
His "The Grand Wunderkammer" page advertises "Vendors of the odd and unusual, museum exhibits, guest lectures, live entertainment, and so much more! Strange, curious, and unique in every way possible!" Additionally, a link to his website is provided, according to the report.
"I think I’ve seen it all, and then something like this comes around,” Sean McCormack, district attorney for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where Pauley was charged, is quoted as saying. “The question we had to answer was, 'Is the sale of body parts or bones and remains illegal ... or legal?' Some of it, to our surprise, was legal. And as the investigation went on, it became clear there was illegal activity going on as well."
After their first visit to Pauley, the police received another tip about newer remains in Pauley's home, and investigators returned to the house to find more recent purchases.
Police found three five-gallon buckets containing assorted body parts, including those of children, and federal and state law enforcement agents intercepted packages addressed to Pauley from the Arkansas woman that contained body parts.
Pauley told investigators that he intended to resell the body parts, according to the affidavit, cited by the outlet. Investigators allege Pauley arranged to pay the Arkansas woman $4,000 for the body parts through the platform's messenger services.
Facebook's community standards prohibit human exploitation and explicitly prohibit selling body parts through its commercial policies and advertising policies.
According to the report, as of yet, no charges have been brought against the Arkansas woman.
* Meta is an organization outlawed in Russia