00:00A former funeral homeowner received a 20-year sentence for illegally dissecting and selling
00:05the body parts of 560 corpses. So how was this crime committed? Brute can explain in less than
00:1060 seconds. Megan Hess was sentenced to two decades in prison for her role in the dismemberment
00:14and selling of bodies without their family's consent. The 46-year-old owned a funeral home
00:19and body part entity in Colorado and sold body parts for research or educational purposes without
00:24permission. Last year she pleaded guilty to fraud and admitted to lying to families about their
00:29loved ones' remains. Prosecutors say Hess in many instances told relatives their loved ones
00:34have been cremated when in actuality she had dissected and sold their bodies without permission.
00:39Prosecutors believe more than 200 families were lied to and received cremated ashes from bins
00:44mixed with the remains of different cadavers. In the U.S. it is illegal to sell heart, kidneys,
00:49and other organs for a transplant. And while the selling of other body parts like heads,
00:54arms, and spines is legal for educational and research purposes, it is a virtually unregulated
00:59industry.
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