Troy Cremation Service Investigated By State For Being Unlicensed

TROY, MI — A Troy cremation service has been told to stop providing services after a state investigation revealed the facility was "engaging in the practice of mortuary science without a license and advertising its services from an unlicensed location," according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

The LARA cease and desist order also targets O’Neil Swanson and George A. Drosis, requiring them to stop violating the occupational code by aiding and abetting Comfort Cremation Services in the unlicensed practice of mortuary science.

"By offering funeral services, including overseeing direct cremations, transporting,
disposing of, and caring for dead human bodies, Comfort engaged in and held itself out as engaging in the practice of mortuary science without possessing an active mortuary science establishment license issued by the Department, contrary to MCL 339.1806(3), in violation of MCL 339.601(1) and MCL 339.604(h)," LARA wrote in its cease and desist order released Wednesday.

Drosis in a statement to Patch on Wednesday said the facility is "shocked by the allegations" put out by LARA.

"It works exclusively with duly licensed funeral homes in the area who supervise and conduct all mortuary activity under an express service agreement," Drosis told Patch via email. "We are eager to address this matter with the department and our funeral providers. "

The state opened its investigation into the cremation service on April 7 after a tip from the Michigan Funeral Directors Association suggested the facility was removing bodies and transporting them to Tri-County Cremation Services, L.L.C. for cremation services, according to a LARA report.

State investigators said in a report that they inspected Tri County’s facility in Ypsilanti and found "at least 29 cardboard cremation containers containing the uncremated remains of dead human bodies indicating that they were received" from Comfort Cremation Services. The state added in its report that documentation from Tri-County suggests it had 85 bodies in its custody originating from Comfort Cremation Services, with 57 of those possessing no cremation data.

Those cited in the order have 30 days to respond to the state's complaint, state officials said.

A person who engages in mortuary science without a license is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both, state authorities said.