Mon Apr 14 05:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Former Maine Funeral Director Sentenced to Prison for Stealing from Clients
**BANGOR, ME** – Harold “Chip” Lamson Jr., 54, a former Lincoln funeral director, was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay $63,965.38 in restitution for stealing from 49 clients. Lamson pleaded guilty on Wednesday to 16 felony counts of theft and six misdemeanor counts in Penobscot County Superior Court.
The thefts, primarily stemming from Lamson’s misuse of funds from mortuary trusts at his family’s Lamson Funeral Home, serving Millinocket, East Millinocket, and Medway, spanned several years. One case detailed in court records involved a family repeatedly requesting the transfer of $3,981 to a North Carolina funeral home for the burial of a deceased relative. Lamson failed to transfer the funds, forcing the family to cover the costs themselves.
Lamson’s actions led to the revocation of his funeral practitioner license by the Maine Board of Funeral Services in spring 2024, following an investigation revealing over 60 violations of board statutes, rules, and the code of ethics. His license was suspended in June after further alleged violations of a consent agreement. He is prohibited from seeking any funeral home-related licenses for the next three years.
Lamson, who was arrested in May 2023, is currently at the Penobscot County Jail awaiting transfer to the Maine Department of Corrections. As part of his sentence, he is also required to write a letter of apology to each victim.
First Piper 