DENVER (AP) — Colorado funeral home owners accused of misspending nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds and living lavishly, all while allegedly stashing 190 decaying bodies in a building and sending grieving families fake ashes, are expected to plead guilty to federal charges Thursday.
Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home about an hour's drive south of Denver, have been charged with 15 federal offenses related to defrauding the U.S. government and the funeral home's customers. Additionally, over 200 criminal counts are already pending against them in Colorado state court, including for corpse abuse and forgery.
The Hallfords used the pandemic aid and customers' payments to buy a GMC Yukon and Infiniti that together were worth over $120,000, laser body sculpting, trips to California, Florida and Las Vegas, $31,000 in cryptocurrency and luxury items at stores like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., according to court documents.
The federal charges could carry up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
Jon Hallford is being represented by the federal public defenders office, which does not comment on cases. Calls and emails to Carie Hallford’s lawyer in the federal case have not been returned, and her attorney in the state case, Michael Stuzynski, declined to comment.
The federal indictment arrived after last year's discovery of the 190 corpses in a bug-infested building owned by Return to Nature in Penrose, a small town southwest of Colorado Springs. The Hallfords allegedly stashed bodies as as far back as 2019, at times stacking them on top of each other, and in two cases buried the wrong body, according to court documents.
An investigation by The Associated Press found that the Hallfords likely sent fake ashes and fabricated cremation records to families who did business with them. Court documents allege that the dust inside some of the bags was dry concrete, not the cremated remains of lost loved ones.
The discovery devastated relatives of the deceased, who began learning that their family members' remains weren't in the ashes that they ceremonially spread or held tight but were still languishing in a building. The stories prompted Colorado lawmakers to patch the state's lax funeral home regulations in 2024, requiring routine inspections of facilities and licensing for funeral home roles.
Bedayn is a corps member of The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
FILE - This combination of booking photos provided by the Muskogee County, Okla., Sheriff's Office shows Jon Hallford, left, and Carie Hallford, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home. (Muskogee County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
FILE - A hearse and debris can be seen at the rear of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, Oct. 5, 2023, in Penrose, Colo. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP, File)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 33 points, icing the game with a baseline turnaround jumper with 1:46 to go, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame Zion Williamson's absence to defeat the Chicago Bulls 123-111 on Wednesday night in both clubs' season opener.
Newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his Pelicans debut, but injured his left hand in the fourth quarter. CJ McCollum scored 23 for New Orleans.
Williamson was ruled out shortly before the game because of an illness, marking his 207th missed regular-season game since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2019.
Zach LaVine scored 27 points, and Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed for most of the second half and by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Smith scored 15 points, and Josh Giddey added 14 points for Chicago.
Jordan Hawkins scored 13 for the Pelicans.
New Orleans might be able to rely on their first-round pick, 7-footer Yves Missi, more than initially thought. Missi was considered too raw to play significant minutes early this season when he was drafted 21st overall out of Baylor in June. But missing their top front-court player in Williamson, the Pelicans played Missi 23 minutes and he was effective, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds three blocks and a steal.
When Missi walked to the bench with 4:20 left, he received a standing ovation.
Ingram's third 3 of the game gave the Pelicans a 107-92 lead and capped a pivotal 13-2 run during which Ingram scored eight points, including another 3 and two free throws.
Chicago turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 30 Pelicans points. LeVine committed seven turnovers.
The Bulls visit Milwaukee on Friday, the same day the Pelicans open a four-game trip at Portland.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram dives for a loose ball against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) goes to the basket between Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) goes to the basket between Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (7) and guard Josh Giddey (3) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) loses the ball as he drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) pulls down the ball against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) blocks a shot by Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram dives for a loose ball against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) goes to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
