Pennsylvania man pleads guilty in national body parts trafficking case.

In a significant judicial development, Joshua Taylor, a resident of Wernersville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to the illicit buying and selling of stolen human body parts. This case is part of a broader investigation that federal prosecutors have described as a national conspiracy involving the trafficking of human remains removed from the Harvard Medical School morgue and a mortuary in Arkansas.

During the proceedings, Taylor admitted to knowingly purchasing organs and other body parts that had been taken from donated cadavers at Harvard. Between 2018 and 2022, he transported these stolen remains from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania. Taylor subsequently sold these parts to others, including Jeremy Pauley, a fellow Pennsylvania resident known in underground circles as a collector of “oddities.” Pauley had entered a guilty plea for similar charges just a month prior, in September 2023.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Taylor could face a substantial sentence of up to ten years in federal prison, along with potential financial penalties. His attorney has refrained from making any statements regarding the case.

The federal investigation has unveiled the extent and diversity of the “oddities collectors” community, a decentralized group of individuals with interests that span antiquities, paranormal activities, unconventional medical practices, natural history, and taxidermy. Items of interest are often exchanged at flea markets, specialty shops, and various online platforms, with many transactions revolving around unusual, yet harmless, objects. However, the current case represents a troubling divergence into more grotesque and illicit dealings.

In June 2023, federal authorities charged six individuals, including Taylor and Pauley, revealing a network engaged in the trade of heavily commodified human remains. The initial indictment pointed to Cedric Lodge, the morgue manager at Harvard Medical School, who allegedly pilfered dissected body parts—such as heads, brains, and skin—from cadavers that had been entrusted for biomedical research and were intended for cremation. Court documents indicate that Lodge provided Taylor with access to select remains, enabling him to personally choose what to purchase. Over a span of three years, Taylor made 39 payments totaling ,355.56 to Lodge’s wife, Denise, for these illicit goods.

Evidence suggests that Taylor marketed the body parts to Pauley, who, prior to being charged, had developed a notorious presence in the oddities community. Pauley reportedly transferred upwards of ,000 to Taylor for the stolen items, which he resold through various channels.

The illegal activities came to light when Pauley’s then-wife raised concerns about the origins of certain human remains and alerted law enforcement. Despite his guilty plea, Pauley has continued to engage with the oddities market, operating a ‘curiosities’ shop in Honesdale alongside his fiancée. He has yet to be sentenced, with no official date announced.

In addition to Taylor and Pauley, multiple other individuals involved in this network have also pleaded guilty, including Denise Lodge, who is awaiting sentencing. Cedric Lodge is scheduled to enter a guilty plea next week, suggesting that the investigation will likely continue to unfold as authorities pursue accountability in this disturbing case.