Letter: Arizona man accused of selling body parts gets plea deal
Oct 7, 2015, 6:07 AM | Updated: 12:08 pm
PHOENIX — An Arizona man accused of selling body parts on the black market has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, a letter said.
The federal government raided the Biological Resource Center in January as part of a three-state probe into the illegal sale of human body parts.
In a Tuesday letter, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said his office reached a felony plea deal with the center’s owner, Steve Gore, who was accused of providing human tissue that was either used against the donor’s wishes or contaminated.
Gore officially pleaded guilty Wednesday. He faces between 2 1⁄2-7 years in prison and a maximum fine of $150,000.
Gwen Aloia, whose husband may have been one of the bodies affected, said Gore is “gross” and “the lowest of the low.”
Aloia said her husband, Louie, donated his body in 2014.
“I’ve been talking to a box and don’t know if it’s Louie.”
Gore said his business works as a middle man between researchers and educators who are searching for tissue samples.
“Please be assured that the staff of Biological Resource Center of Arizona works diligently each day to serve and honor our donors and their families with dignity and respect,” Gore wrote on his website. “We adhere to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, which governs anatomical donation.”
Brnovich said the families or next-of-kin have been notified if their loved one’s remains were found at the facility.
KTAR’s Bob McClay and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
