Former Lincoln Funeral Director Sentenced for Theft from Clients

BANGOR, Maine — Harold “Chip” Lamson Jr., a former funeral director in Lincoln, was sentenced to one year in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to stealing funds from 49 clients. The 54-year-old faced a total of 16 felony theft charges and six misdemeanor counts in Penobscot County Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Smith confirmed that Lamson’s convictions stemmed from his mismanagement of mortuary trusts at the Lamson Funeral Home, which he owned with his wife. The funeral home provided services in Millinocket, East Millinocket, and Medway.

In one notable case, Lamson was accused of failing to transfer a trust of $3,981 to a North Carolina funeral home after the death of a former Maine resident. The family made multiple attempts to contact Lamson to request the payment, which went unpaid, forcing them to cover the costs themselves.

Along with his prison sentence, Lamson was ordered to pay restitution amounting to $63,965.38 to the 49 victims he defrauded. He is also required to write individual apology letters to each victim as part of the court’s decision.

Lamson’s funeral practitioner license has been revoked for five years, effective from a consent agreement he entered into in 2024, where he admitted to numerous violations of the state’s statutes, rules, and code of ethics. Previously, in June, his license was temporarily suspended following allegations of negligence in reporting and failing to produce necessary documents for auditing.

Lawyers representing both Lamson and the state expressed that he has shown remorse for his actions. “It was a very difficult case emotionally for a lot of people, but I felt like the victims were really heard,” said Lamson’s attorney, Christopher Largay.

Assistant District Attorney Smith echoed Largay’s remarks, noting, “He accepted what was recommended and accepted the restitution amounts, showing recognition of the wrongness of his actions.” Lamson will begin serving his prison term immediately.