The license of a Maine funeral home owner at the center of a theft investigation has been suspended.
That comes after the Maine Board of Funeral Services alleges that Harold “Chip” Lamson, 53, violated his consent agreement less than a month after it was reached, according to CBS affiliate WABI.
The decision to immediately suspend Lamson’s license was outlined in a letter dated June 12 obtained by WABI.
In that letter, Board Administrator Holly Poirier outlined several alleged violations, including late and incomplete reporting to the board, as well as removing documents from Lamson Funeral Home’s location in Lincoln, which prevented a comprehensive audit. Those records weren’t returned despite guidance from Lamson’s counsel and the Maine attorney general’s office, WABI reported.
“Your reporting is severely deficient, and you have not cooperated with Board requests for information,” Poirier wrote in the letter.
Lamson became embroiled in a felony theft investigation earlier this year, and that became public after police executed search warrants at Lamson Funeral Home locations in Lincoln and Millinocket on May 9. That came after police received more than 50 complaints against Lamson, including alleged theft or misuse of money from funeral trusts established through his business, Lincoln Police Chief Mark Leonard said in May.
Lamson Funeral Home also has a location in Danforth, according to its website.
He was arrested on May 20 and charged with two felony counts of theft, according to Leonard.
Lamson was taken to the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, where he posted bail. He was scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 8.
His arrest came days after the Maine Board of Funeral Services met to revoke Lamson’s funeral practitioner license for five years. The revocation of Lamson’s license was part of a consent agreement in which he admitted “without dispute” to more than 60 violations of the board’s statutes, rules and code of ethics dating back to 2022.
Lamson, who was first licensed in 1995 and owns the business with his wife, Lisa, can apply to have his license reinstated after three years. During this time, he is prohibited from seeking any funeral home-related licenses.
Under that consent agreement, his license was to remain in place for 120 days to allow Lamson time to conclude business with his current clients. Lamson was allowed to hire a licensed funeral practitioner to keep his business going.
The board could lift Lamson’s license suspension if he’s found to be in compliance with the consent agreement. He is still obligated to adhere to the agreement’s reporting requirements despite the suspension, according to WABI.
Lamson has two other consent agreements from 2021 and 2022. He had a year of probation and a fine of $750 because of a failure to communicate in 2022 with family about installing a gravemarker. In 2021, Lamson failed to return roughly $5,800 from a mortuary trust in a timely fashion. He was issued a warning and had to pay a fine, according to the consent agreement.
BDN writer Marie Weidmayer contributed to this report.
