Ex-Funeral Home Owner Faces Prison For Fake Ashes Scandal
A former Colorado funeral home owner has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for defrauding families and misusing nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds. Carie Hallford admitted to taking money for funeral services and cremations, often providing urns filled with concrete mix instead, and in some instances, burying the wrong bodies. Prosecutors argued for a longer sentence due to the profound trauma inflicted upon grieving families and the lavish personal spending of government aid. Hallford’s defense claimed she acted under duress and manipulation from her ex-husband, but victims rejected this, detailing their ongoing suffering.
John Q. Hosedrinker