This story contains details that may disturb some readers

EAST PENNSBORO TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTM) — Police in East Pennsboro have arrested a man who allegedly bought and sold human remains on Facebook.

According to police, on June 14, 2022, officers received a call about an Enola man allegedly buying body parts on Facebook.

Police said Jeremy Powley, 40, was a collector of “strange objects” and claimed to have three complete skeletons and about 15-20 human skulls. Police said the items were “very old and from legitimate purchases”.

Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack calls the case “one of the weirdest” he’s seen in his 33-year career.

“I’ve seen a lot of weird and unusual things over the years,” he said. “Just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes this case.”

On July 8, police received a call from a man who found five buckets of human flesh and skin in a basement. East Pennsboro Police detectives, Cumberland County Forensics and the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence and found 3-5 gallon buckets containing various human remains.

According to court records, the buckets contained two human brains, skin, heart, kidney, spleen, fat, scalp hair, two livers, six pieces of skin/fat, a trachea, a toothed jaw and two lungs.

Further investigation revealed that Pauley allegedly purchased human remains from a woman in Arkansas via Facebook Messenger.

Pauly said he bought $4,000 worth of body parts for half a head, a full head with a skull cap, a three-headed skull cap, a heart, a liver, a lung, two kidneys, an entire female hip, and a piece of skin. With a nipple and four arms.

Police determined the items were shipped from Arkansas via the United States Postal Service. An investigation by the FBI in Arkansas and the Arkansas State Police revealed in court records that a woman named Candace Scott was stealing body parts belonging to the University of Arkansas from a morgue in Arkansas. Pennsylvania court records did not say whether the woman was charged.

“When you get to the core of the case, this is a case of receiving stolen property,” McCormack said.

East Pennsboro police and an FBI agent in Harrisburg interviewed Pauley, who admitted to buying two body parts from Scott in Arkansas, according to the affidavit. Police admitted that Pauli would sell those body parts to people for financial gain.

“If you compare it to stolen auto parts or something like that…if you’re making stolen auto parts, you’re going to have to pay a higher fee if you’re going to sell them, and that’s what you’re going to have in this case,” McCormack said.

East Pennsboro Police say human remains have been found in Scranton. Court documents also identified a Bloomsburg address for Pauley.

Pauley was released on $50,000 bail.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences released a statement about the investigation:

“UAMS is very grateful to the many people who selflessly donate their bodies to our body donation program for use in medical education and research. The human body is an indispensable aid in the education of medical students, nurses and other health professions students. UAMS deeply respects our donors when they are in our care. We have a contract with Arkansas Central Mortuaries to pick up the bodies after they are no longer used by our students. A mortuary employee is under investigation by federal authorities after he allegedly stole human remains from the mortuary that had been donated to UAMS. We are saddened and shocked that this has happened.

Leslie Taylor
Vice Chancellor, Communications and Marketing
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

The cooperative investigation was conducted by East Pennsboro Police, FBI Harrisburg, FBI Scranton, FBI Arkansas, Arkansas State Police, Cumberland County Coroners Office, Cumberland County Forensic Division, Bloomsburg Police Department, United States Postal Service and Pennsylvania State Police.

A preliminary hearing for Pauley is set for Sept. 14.