Overview
- State District Judge Eric Bentley on Monday rejected Carie Hallford’s state plea deal after families argued the proposed 15–20 year sentence was too lenient.
- The decision follows his earlier rejection of Jon Hallford’s deal, after which Jon withdrew his plea and was set for trial.
- Both Hallfords previously pleaded guilty to 191 counts related to abusing corpses found in a Penrose building where officials reported stacked, decomposing bodies and sham ashes given to families.
- In separate federal cases, prosecutors say the couple admitted defrauding the Small Business Administration of nearly $900,000 and taking payments for cremations never performed, spending the proceeds on luxury items.
- Jon Hallford has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, and Carie Hallford’s federal sentencing is scheduled for December.