An I-Team Investigation

For months, CBS 11 News has been following the case of the stolen bones and how one of them ended up in an Anchorage woman's body. On Tuesday, the mastermind behind the operation pleaded guilty.

Even his lawyer admits most people think Michael Mastromarino is a monster. He stood-up in court and acknowledged his role in a ghoulish scheme.

Judge: "You're pleading guilty because you're guilty, right?"
Mastromarino: "Yes, sir."

As the I-Team first reported last November, Mastromarino would cut up dead bodies and steal bones that were later sold for medical purposes. He didn't get the family's permission.

One of those bones ended up in Cheryl Bowie's neck. The Anchorage woman recently told the I-Team she's happy Mastromarino is facing justice.

"I think it's good he's getting punished and I would hope that he spends the rest of his life in jail," said transplant patient, Cheryl Bowie.

Bowie suffered complications from her transplant when the bone dissolved. In all, her medical bills added up to about 300,000 dollars. The scar on her neck is a constant reminder of what Mastromarino's scheme put her through.

"Sometimes I'll just go through my day and it will amaze me what I've gone through over the last few years," said Bowie.

Bowie is not alone.

There are about 10,000 people who got stolen body parts through Mastromarino's operation. His attorney says it was originally a legitimate business, but the demand for body parts became so great, that Mastromarino began breaking the law.

"Today, instead of looking at him as the monster he's been portrayed, we'd probably be looking at him as a pioneer in the industry. Someone in advance science, advance medicine and help people live longer better lives," said Mastromarino's attorney, Mario Gallucci.

But Mastromarino is far from someone to be admired. He

Cheryl Bowie
stole body parts from corpses and, in the process, inflicted pain on at least a thousand families. For that, he's facing up to 50 years in prison.

After the proceedings in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday, it looks like Mastromarino will also have to forfeit nearly five million dollars. Bowie told CBS 11 News Tuesday night she's filing a lawsuit Wednesday against Mastromarino's company and Alaska Regional Medical Center, where the transplant was done. CBS 11 News contacted a spokeswoman for the hospital who says she wants a chance to look at the lawsuit before commenting.

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