DENVER, Col. — A plea deal was rejected by a Colorado judge in the case of a funeral home owner accused of mishandling roughly 190 decaying bodies on Monday, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

The rejection comes after family members of the deceased said the deal’s 15-to-20 year sentence was not enough.

Jon and Carie Hallford were accused of dumping deceased bodies in a bug-infested building between 2019 and 2023. The couple were the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home and were giving families fake ashes, AP reported.

The couple was also accused of defrauding the federal government of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 funds.

In 2024, the couple pleaded guilty to 191 counts of course abuse.

Following the plea deal rejection, Jon Hallford withdrew his guilty plea. Carie has not yet decided, however, AP reports that she can either withdraw her guilty plea or continue without the deal which may result in higher sentencing.

Last year, KRMG reported that the Hallfords, who were captured in Oklahoma, were federally indicted and could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, per the indictment.

“Beginning as early as September of 2019, and continuing through October of 2023, the Hallfords failed to cremate or bury approximately 190 bodies in connection with the scheme,” the indictment said. They allegedly “collected in excess of $130,000 from victims for cremation or burial services which they never provided,” prosecutors said.

According to AP, Jon Hallford is scheduled for trial.