As a teenager, she had attempted suicide. Sonja Farak, left, stands during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Mass. Thats when she found a home working at a lab in the Morrill Science Building on the UMass Amherst campus. MGB medical residents want to change long hours, low pay and poor benefits. In a sweeping decision issued on Thursday, Oct. 11, the Supreme Judicial Court dismissed with prejudice every methamphetamine-related conviction from the nine years that former chemist Sonja Farak worked at the Amherst lab, as well as all cases involving drug tests from that lab from Jan. 1, 2009 through Jan. 18, 2013. In fact, she was highly accomplished before all her struggles. Damning evidence reveals drug lab chemist Sonja Farak's addictions. In January 2014, she pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and drug possession. She was sentenced in January 2014 after she pled guilty to four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, four counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of cocaine possession. A judge will hold a final hearing on the settlement in October. . In conclusion, Linda seems to be where she always was. Robertson rejected Kaczmarek's claims she should not be held responsible for the turning over of exculpatory evidence because she was not part of the "prosecution team" in Penate's case. During her career as a. If you're on the prowl for . So she turned to drugs, which . Netflix's latest documentary series, How to Fix a Drug Scandal, focuses on the story of Sonja Farak, a former Massachusetts crime lab chemist who was found to be abusing the drugs she was . I, think I make a strong case and advocate that humans are fallible and she needs to be given a second chance, but thats an unpopular opinion, and I can't control how the public reacts to it.. The latest true crime offering from Netflix is the documentary series How to Fix a Drug Scandal. It dives into the story of Sonja Farak, a chemist who worked for a Massachusetts state drug lab and got arrested for taking the drugs she was testing as well as tampering with evidence. Obviously, after a blunder of such scale, no one would want their samples checked from the same lab. According to a Rolling Stone profile on Farak and the case, the former chemist has not been heard from since her release. Netflix released a new docu-series called "How to Fix a Drug Scandal." Linda Farak is currently in her 60s. She cried as she was sentenced, I think it's very painful to be Sonja and I regret having to advocate against her, Ryan, said in the docuseries. Farak admitted to being on a list of drugs while working between 2004 and her 2013 arrest. The chemist, Sonja Farak, worked at the Amherst crime drug lab from 2004 to 2013 during which she was high almost every day. People Also Viewed . The settlement is the result of a class action lawsuit seeking to reimburse those who had their cases dismissed. While I certainly think her longstanding refusal to acknowledge what she was doing comprised the rights of lots of people, I have sympathy for a human being who is struggling with a very difficult addiction, he said. The new four-part Netflix series tracks chemists Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan, whose convictions for misconduct led to over 40,000 drug convictions being dismissed by the courts. You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. Release year: 2020. In her response to the lawsuit, Farak wrote: I agree that I began stealing and using the state labs supply of methamphetamine oil, but I do not recall if it was late 2004 or early 2005 so I cannot agree with the year stated.. The responsibility of the mess that she created should also rest upon the shoulders of her workplace that allowed her the opportunity to indulge so freely in drugs in the first place. You can try, Judge dismisses 'qualified immunity' claim in suit against ex-prosecutor in drug lab scandal, Judge declines mass dismissal of cases from tainted drug lab, New Evidence May Implicate Additional Chemists In Statewide Drug Lab Scandal. AG Healey has also dedicated her efforts to finding fair resolutions for all involved, including advocating for the dismissal of convictions impacted by (Annie) Dookhan and Faraks crimes, and ensuring certain fines and fees are returned to defendants whose criminal charges have been dismissed.. The state is notifying people via letters, posting flyers and the settlement notice is available online. April 1, 2020. The potential impact of Farak's malpractice is still being assessed by the district attorneys from counties that relied on the Amherst lab to handle evidence. While Farak claimed that she did in fact test all the drug evidence thrown her way, unlike Dookhan, she did so under highly questionable circumstances. By Arun Rath Matt Baskin. She worked there for a year but soon realized she wouldnt make enough money there in the Boston area to buy a house. . The place was closed as soon as Faraks crimes came to light. The four-part documentary focuses on Dookhan and an independent case of fraud in the drug lab by Sonja Farak. Shes a high school graduate. At the time of her arrest, she had resided in 37 Laurel Park in Northampton. Farak pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with evidence, four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, and two counts of possession of cocaine in 2014. Farak pleaded guilty in 2014 of stealing drugs and tampering with evidence, setting off a second. The average amount for each recipient is estimated at $375. Ive been struggling with that, Carr said Its very uncomfortable and I dont know what its been like for her.. She tested . Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Background. El Chino ntrax. Farak graduated with high distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and was passionate about science, according to Rolling Stone. She shone academically as well. Farak also had an apparent obsession for her therapists husband, as she was reported to have a folder that shed put together about him, documenting her obsession. Criminal. Netflix's latest .css-7qz8rz{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#f7623b;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #feebe7 50%, #feebe7);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-7qz8rz:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}true crime docuseries, How to Fix a Drug Scandal tells the true story surrounding Farak's misbehavior and its consequences. Massachusetts prosecutor tied to Sonja Farak, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Massachusetts prosecutor tied to Sonja Farak drug lab scandal actively misled others: Report, Hudson man convicted in racially motivated murder of Black man in Belmont road rage case, Two Lawrence men arrested in connection to mass shooting investigation: Police, El Chapo sons charged with smuggling cheap fentanyl to US, Ex-Hopkinton deputy police chief accused of raping student while a school resource officer, scandal led to the dismissal of thousands of drug convictions, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins last week said shes asking the states highest court to toss thousands of convictions, Bruins historic season falls far short of the goal, Showdown at SatanCon: White nationalist group Patriot Front joins protest of Satanic gathering in Boston, New Bedford threatens MBTA with possible lawsuit over taking land for South Coast Rail project, Guregian: Sizing up how the Patriots, AFC East teams fared in the draft, Howie Carr: With Tucker Carlson gone, this time I'm really done with Fox News, Lucas: Climate vandals miss the mark with Beacon Hill SUV attack, NFL Notes: Bill Belichick continues to march to the beat of a different drummer, Ex-Hopkinton Police deputy chief accused of raping child, allegedly assaulted student while he was school resource officer, Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron showed class in defeat, Photos: Best and worst looks from the 2023 Met Gala. Support GBH. More than 24,000 convictions have been overturned as a result of her case. The people who were involved in this will finally get justice, Westcott said. She married Nikki Lee. She was arrested on January 19, 2013. The four-part investigation explains why the Massachusetts drug analyst fabricated evidence while working at the Hinton State Laboratory in Boston, and how her incompetence affected a subsequent scandal involving fellow chemist Sonja Farak in Amherst. ", "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries. When she got married, it turned out that her wife, too, suffered from her own demons, and their collective anguish made Sonja desperate for a reprieve from this life. Farak is one of two Massachusetts drug lab technicians who were caught tainting evidence that was used to convict thousands of defendants on drug charges. "And I think often when we're looking at these criminal justice stories, and we're looking at 'perpetrators,' we sort of almost see them as avatars, like 'there was this bad chemist and she did X.'" 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. As a defense attorney, he discusses the importance . She Was Born in 1978 & Raised in Portsmouth, Rhode Island Farak was born on January 13, 1978, in Rhode Island to Stanley and Linda Farak. "No reasonable individual could have failed to appreciate the unlawfulness of [Kaczmarek's] actions in these circumstances," Robertson wrote in her ruling. A new documentary by Netflix 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal' looks at the . Sonja Farak was a chemist for a state crime lab in Massachusetts. She confided in her therapist that all the drugs she was consuming came from her workplace. Farak was born in San Diego, California and within a year her family moved to Newport, Rhode Island after her Navy father was transferred to the east coast. (Featured Image Credit: Mass Live). It was a slippery slope from there, as Sonja went from cocaine to crack cocaine and even LSD. Hafsa Quraishi Twitter Associate Producer, Here & NowHafsa Quraishi is an associate producer for Here & Now. Kaczmarek failed to disclose information and intentionally misrepresented the evidence she had, and worked to actively shut down inquiry and deflect zealous work by Farak defendants counsel who were doing their jobs by requesting evidence of Faraks misconduct, according to the report. She really did, at certain times, tried to stop doing this but couldnt.. The Amherst Bulletin reported that her medical records indicated that she only became addicted to drugs once she started working at the lab, in 2004. But Westcott said she paid a variety of fees, such as $65 monthly probation costs and $500 to get her drivers license, before the SJC dismissed her three possession cases in 2018. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In 2017, Rolando Penate filed a $5.7 million lawsuit against 18 defendants, including Farak. Her arrest led to the dismissal of thousands of drug cases in Massachusetts. Farak is one of two Massachusetts drug lab technicians who were caught tainting evidence that was used to convict thousands of defendants on drug charges. Farak saw Kogan in 2009 and 2010, and her therapist wrote: She obtains the drugs from her job at the state drug lab, by taking portions of samples that have come in to be tested., Kogan also wrote that Farak told her she had taken methamphetamines at another lab in an old job, but she didnt get much from it. Kogan wrote that after moving to western [Massachusetts] for her job at the state drug lab, [Farak] tried it again and really liked it. She recovered, made it through college and got a job as a chemist at the Amherst Crime Lab, where she tested confiscated drugs. "She's somebody that sort of shies away from press. A federal judge has rejected claims from an embattled former state prosecutor that she is protected from liability in the fallout over a Massachusetts drug lab scandal. Westcott has been in recovery from heroin addiction for nearly nine years. How to Fix a Drug Scandal premiered on Netflix April 1, and it has told the compelling stories of Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan. With the lab's ample drug supply, she was able to sneak the drug each day from a jug that resided in the shared workspace. Ted Bundy. Now the Board of Bar Overseers special hearing officer concluded that there were numerous lapses, oversights, intentional misconduct and rule violations by Kaczmarek, Verner and Foster. Filmmaker Erin Lee Carrs newest docuseries How to Fix a Drug Scandal shines a spotlight on misconduct on several levels but its primary focus is on a Massachusetts former drug lab technician named Sonja Farak. Don Treeger/The Republican via AP, Pool, File. Dookhan was. Her medical records included notes from Faraks therapist in Amherst, Anna Kogan. In high school, she nearly died by suicide, and in college Farak was . I find that everyone needs to be given a second chance.". Her supply came from work itself; she would take drugs and use them and then replace the evidence bags with fake drugs. Audiences also hear from Farak's mother and sister who have never spoken to the press before. We couldn't do it without you. The hotline is open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a . She purchased a home there in 2006. Months before Faraks misconduct came to light in 2013, another lab technician named Annie Dookhan was arrested in 2012 after it became apparent that she wasnt even testing the drug evidence; rather, she just marked results as positive so that she could impress her colleagues with her speed and efficiency. The four-part documentary series, released this month, focuses on the 2013 arrest - and ensuing court case - of Sonja Farak, a then-35-year-old crime lab chemist accused of tampering with . She was sentenced in 2014 to 18 months in prison and 5 years of probation. I mean she could have been my client. Though Farak was arrested in 2013 and sentenced to jail in 2014, the findings from the state's investigation into the scope of her misconduct were just released Tuesday. In How to Fix a Drug Scandal on Netflix, Ryan is the primary on-camera interviewee. She looked into the western area of the state because it was less expensive and less hectic. Kaczmarek argued for qualified immunity after she was sued by Rolando Penate, who spent five years in prison on drug charges in which the evidence in his case was tested by Farak. Join us. The surveillance of the chemists as well as the standards and the confiscated drugs has also been increased considerably. Oxygen.com was not able to reach Farak for comment. The fees eligible for reimbursement include probation fees, victim witness fees, GPS monitoring costs and driver's license reinstatement fees. I can guess that it has been very, very painful for her, she said. She has been under arrest since 2013 under drug abuse charges. Fake drugs were found in their place. After contemplating another suicide, she settled on drugs, and the fact that she had such easy access to it at her workplace made it easier for her to get lost in that world. After their arrests, prosecutors at the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office then tried to sweep their crimes under the rug without addressing how their actions affected the defendants who were convicted based on their drug testing. Regarding the cases that she had handled, the Massachusetts courts threw out every case in the Amherst lab during her tenure. The scandal led to the dismissal of thousands of drug convictions. Camila Cabello And Shawn Mendes' Full Relationship, Everything To Know About Rihannas 2nd Pregnancy, Stars Who Got Their Start on Reality TV Shows, These Pregnant Celebrities Have Due Dates In 2023, See Blake Shelton's Throwback Pic With Reba, Meghan Trainor Says She 'Can't Walk' After Sex, Five Dead Giveaways Tell Burglars You're Not Home, 40 Things You Can Buy On Amazon For Under $10. Farak, a chemist, was later convicted of stealing drugs from the state lab in Amherst. Two drug lab chemists' shocking crimes cripple a state's judicial system and blur the lines of justice for lawyers, officials and thousands of inmates. We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. Her mother and sister seem to show no empathy for anyone involved in the cases of Sonja Farak, and only seem to be concerned with how the . Its unclear if she still owns the property and if she lives there now. This achievement earned her a full page layout in the local paper and some local TV news coverage. Rolling Stone covered both drug lab scandals in 2018 and uncovered that Farak had suffered from depression for many years. In 2012, former drug lab chemist Annie Dookhan was arrested for falsifying evidence recovered from alleged drug busts in the state of Massachusetts. Apart from the late Stanley Farak, it appears that Amy and Sonja make up the rest of Lindas family. A final decision is still pending and must be approved by the state Supreme Judicial Court. (Courtesy Shawn Musgrave) For the first time ever, the board that disciplines attorneys is recommending a former Massachusetts prosecutor lose her law license for failing to turn over evidence that might have exonerated defendants. A pair of scandals at two state . That is as much public exposure as shes opened herself up to since her release from jail. Its unclear if Farak is still with Lee, as they have both remained out of the public eye since the case. In her June 17 ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson dismissed former Assistant Attorney General Anne Kaczmarek's claims of qualified immunity a doctrine that gives legal immunity to some public officials accused of misconduct. Carr said that Farak is a private person. She said early recovery was hard because finding employment and housing was difficult with a criminal record and having to pay court fees. Penate's suit said Kaczmarek withheld evidence that Farak used drugs at the lab for longer than the Massachusetts attorney general's office first claimed, and that he would not have been imprisoned based on tainted evidence. Part of that process included having a conversation with Farak, though Carr couldn't capture it on camera. For her wrongdoing, Farak served 18 months in prison and was released in 2015. "It was Defendant who had the responsibility within the AGO [attorney general's office] to see that the Farak investigation materials were disseminated to the DAOs [district attorneys' offices]," Robertson wrote, adding there is no evidence anyone from the attorney general's office sent the potentially exculpatory evidence to those offices.". The disgraced chemist was sentenced to less than two years behind bars in 2014, following her guilty pleas for stealing cocaine from the lab. She was struggling to suppress mental health issues, depression in particular, and she tried to kill herself in high school, according to, I could not imagine being high on liquid methamphetamine and hiding it, day in, day out, Carr told, , adding that her initial curiosity surrounding Farak kicked off the making of the docuseries. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. In the civil suit, she filed her own answer to the lawsuit and hired the services of attorney Susan Sachs. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. their crimes under the rug without addressing how their actions affected the defendants who were convicted based on their drug testing. The drug lab technician was sent to prison for 18 months, but was released in 2015. The Farak scandal came as the state grappled with another drug lab crisis. As a teenager, she had attempted suicide. She was released in 2015. Towards the end of the docuseries, we see her coming to terms with Sonjas indiscretions. The scandal led to . Farak pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with evidence, four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, and two counts of possession of cocaine in 2014. Furthermore, Netflix has created a documentary on her story named 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal'. Farak worked at the Amherst Lab since the summer of 2004 and she started taking the labs drugs soon after. Linda was born on 19th July 1951. I was doing really well, Westcott said. And now, three state prosecutors who investigated Farak are under investigation themselves by the states Board of Bar Overseers for their early handling of evidence. ", SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Trump Ramps up Attacks on DeSantis: 'Dropping Like a Rock', Russian Strikes on Pavlohrad Aim to Hamper Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Greg Abbott Criticized for Response to Texas Shooting: 'A New Low', Democrat Sold First Republic Stock, Bought JP Morgan Before Collapse, Conservative Influencers Struggle With Countering Biden's Messaging. She still resides in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, specifically, in the Portsmouth Park Area. But it turns out that Farak was actually high while running some of those tests. Rick Sobey is a multimedia, general assignment reporter -- covering breaking news, politics and more across the region. It didnt matter whether or not she was the one who did the testing or some other chemist. No wonder, she expresses an initial surprise upon learning that Sonja got addicted to drugs while working on her job. Sonja Farak. Soon after, the state police took over the control, and the lab was moved to Springfield, where it remains under the supervision of the state police. At one point, Westcott said she faced incarceration because of unpaid court costs. She grew up in Portsmouth with her sister Amy.. Sonja Farak was released on parole in 2016 and has remained out of the spotlight ever since. The chemist, Sonja Farak, worked at the state drug lab in Amherst, Massachusetts, for more than eight years. Where Is Sonja Farak From Netflix's 'How To Fix A Drug Scandal' Now, And What Happened To Her? They wrote that she served 13 months and was paroled sometime in 2015.. I think that she was so adept at hiding her addiction for so long, her downfall sort of came as a surprise to her and to everybody.". bathurst base hospital email, kendu isaacs hospitalized, larry suggs molly manley,
The Severity Factors Are Delineated By Characteristics, Fighter Jets In Ohio, How To Crochet Hair With A Hook, Ncsc Weekly Threat Report, Governor Whitmer Staff, Articles S