NORTHAMPTON Sonja J. Farak told a nurse at the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee in December 2013 that she used methamphetamines and other stimulants "whenever she could get her hands on them." And since her job as a chemist was to test drug samples at a state drug lab in Amherst, that opportunity came daily. She played as the starting guard for Portsmouth High Schools freshman team. 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.. Even though Farak found a job after graduation and was settled down with her partner, she continued to struggle with depression and felt like a stranger in her body. Farak admitted in testimony that she began using drugs almost as soon as she started working at the Massachusetts State Crime Lab in Amherst. Farak was well (Long, 2021) educated, participated in sports, was married, owned a home, did not have a criminal record, and held a respectable job . 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. Its unclear if she still owns the property and if she lives there now. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. This first-time event, brought to you by GBH in partnership with NPR, PBS and stations across the country, is a celebration of all that #PublicMediaGives people everywhere. Criminal. She has since been one of 18 defendants facing a lawsuit by Rolando Penate, who claims they. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with . 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. Rick Sobey is a multimedia, general assignment reporter -- covering breaking news, politics and more across the region. The chemist, Sonja Farak, worked at the Amherst crime drug lab from 2004 to 2013 during which she was high almost every day. Sonja Farak was a chemist for a state crime lab in Massachusetts. and landed a job at the Amherst state drug lab, Farak still felt "alien and unseen, a ghost floating through her own life," per Rolling Stone. Sonja Farak was born in San Diego, California and within a year her family shifted to Newport, Rhode Island after her Navy father was transferred to the east coast. The strikes left 34 people injured, including three children, and caused widespread damage. She married Nikki Lee. Despite her status as a free woman (who has seemingly disappeared from the public eye), Farak's wrongdoings continue to make waves in the Massachusetts courts. This not only led to people getting a reprieve from prison but also filing their own lawsuits against the injustice they had to suffer. She was sentenced in 2014 to 18 months in prison and 5 years of probation. Fake drugs were found in their place. A scandal erupts, raising questions for the thousands of defendants in her cases. While Dookhan had tampered with evidence and indulged in dry-labbing, Farak stole from her workplace. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. 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. The people who were involved in this will finally get justice, Westcott said. Farak admitted to being on a list of drugs while working between 2004 and her 2013 arrest. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Am I somebody who took her personhood? their crimes under the rug without addressing how their actions affected the defendants who were convicted based on their drug testing. Its no big deal, 14-year-old Farak said to the Panama City News Herald. 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 used to take drugs that came in the lab for test of authenticity and used as criminal evidence. After years of digging, lawyers found that Farak's illicit use of the drugs she worked with every day had actually become an addiction, and that her drug use had started well before her arresta fact the Massachusetts attorney general's office didn't initially reveal, according to the docuseries. By some accounts, she is 68 years old. The drug lab technician was sent to prison for 18 months, but was released in 2015. Farak's findings, and occasional testimony at court about her testing, was used as evidence to convict the person who had been arrested. The state and attorneys for some of the defendants agreed to a $14 million settlement to reimburse 31,000 defendants for post conviction-related costs, such as probation and parole fees, drug analysis and GPS monitoring. Damning evidence reveals drug lab chemist Sonja Farak's addictions. Her curiosity soon led to a regular drug habit. The disgraced chemist was sentenced to less than two years behind bars in 2014, following her guilty pleas for stealing cocaine from the lab. In 2019, she was seen leaving the Springfield Federal Court but declined to comment on the status of the case. Join us. My findings, conclusions and credibility determinations above and below reflect that Kaczmarek not only failed to do this; she actively misled others in the AGO as to what had been produced to the DAOs.. She was struggling to suppress mental health issues, depression in particular, and she tried to kill herself in high school, according to Rolling Stone. The hotline is open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a . On top of that, it was also ensured that no analyst would ever work without supervision. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education. Anders Behring Breivik. Where Is Sonja Farak From Netflix's 'How To Fix A Drug Scandal' Now, And What Happened To Her? According to a newspaper article from 1992, she was the first female in Rhode Island to be on a high school football team. But I remember being terrified, sitting outside the courthouse hysterically crying. People Also Viewed . On the surface, their crimes dont seem as injurious and they dont seem to enjoy inflicting pain on others. . 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.. They wrote that she served 13 months and was paroled sometime in 2015.. 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 apparently still tested each caseunlike Annie Dookhan, another Massachusetts chemist who was arrested five months prior to Farak for fabricating test results. Sadly, theirs weren't the greatest crimes in this real-life drama. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In 2018, all of the criminal convictions more than 10,000 that Farak worked on were dismissed. Her arrest led to the dismissal of thousands of drug cases in Massachusetts. Farak testified that she started off trying meth in the lab because she was "curious. She admitted that back in college shed research drugs and noted that meth sounded like one she was particularly interested in trying. As a teenager, she had attempted suicide. 45 Year Olds. Thank you! T he day Sonja Farak's world unraveled - the day a crack pipe and sliced evidence bags of cocaine were found at her workstation - started like many others: she attended court. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Given the account that Farak was a law-abiding citizen, it is questioned as to how an educated person with a stable job would commit a crime of this magnitude. Lets find out. DA Ryan on Farak Investigation. Shortly into her role at Amherst, Farak decided to try liquid methamphetamine to ease her personal struggles. After Faraks arrest in 2013, police found pages of mental health worksheets in her car indicating she'd struggled with drug addiction since at least 2011. 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.. She began working there in 2004 and enjoyed that it was more laid back than the job at Hinton. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. Those are things that cause people, including my clients, to make choices that negatively impact themselves and others. Who is Sonja Farak, the former state drug lab chemist featured in the show? He went to bat for clients who were affected by both Farak and Dookhans misconduct. "If she puts her mind to something, she can do it, Amy told the producers of How to Fix a Drug Scandal.. She cried as she was sentenced, Mass Live reported in 2014. Very little is known about Farak, the former chemist at the states drug lab, since she has kept a very low profile, even more so after her release from prison. Episode 1. Sonja Farak is a former state lab chemist of Masachuttes, America. Nonetheless, she remains a private person and asks to be left alone. In high school, she nearly died by suicide, and in college Farak was . 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. 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. The new numbers appear in a report issued by a court-designated "Special Master." An ex-lab chemist Sonja Farak's negligence and misdeeds shocked US when she was arrested in 2013 for stealing and using drugs from the lab where she worked. The project has brought up questions Carr is still grappling with. Asked what she thought Farak would want the public to know now, Carr says, "I think that she cares about [the idea] that addiction doesn't always look the same on everybody, and I think that she really struggled with letting people down. She really did, at certain times, tried to stop doing this but couldnt.. The difference? After serving for 13 months, she was released on parole in 2015. Sonja Farak (left) leaving the courthouse with her lawyer. Her parents were described as loving, and somewhat strict. 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. Linda was married to Stanley M Farak, who was in the US Navy. In fact, she was the first girl in the state of Rhode Island to play high school football in a public school system. 1 Indeed, this Court's decisions concerning the Hinton drug lab scandal compel that remedy. She currently keeps a very low profile and is dealing with a pending civil case, but How To Fix A Drug Scandal director Erin Lee Carr reveals to Women's Health that Farak is sober now. 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 . Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. When she tried it she did so when others in the lab went out to lunch it met her expectations. According to a Rolling Stone profile on Farak and the case, the former chemist has not been heard from since her release. Farak has stayed sober, according to the docuseries. No wonder, she expresses an initial surprise upon learning that Sonja got addicted to drugs while working on her job. Netflixs How to Fix a Drug Scandal Story: 5 Fast Facts. The four-part documentary focuses on Dookhan and an independent case of fraud in the drug lab by Sonja Farak. She had been accused of intentional infliction of emotional distress in addition to the conspiracy to violate [Penates] civil rights.. She said, It was about coping; it certainly wasnt about having fun; I dont think shes had fun in quite a while.. Heres what you need to know about Sonja Farak: Farak was born on January 13, 1978, in Rhode Island to Stanley and Linda Farak. 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. "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries "I Love You, Now Die" and "Mommy Dead and Dearest," told Womens Health. Three prosecutors connected with the Amherst drug lab scandal failed to disclose evidence and engaged in misconduct, including one prosecutor who actively misled others, a scathing report states. "Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak's crimes undermined the integrity of our justice system and impacted thousands of lives," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said when the settlement was. Criminal. A pair of scandals at two state . During her trial, her defense lawyer Elaine Pourinski said that Farak wasnt taking drugs to party, but instead to control her depression. She started working shortly after for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in July 2003 until July 2012, and from July 2012 until January 2013 for the Massachusetts State Police when the lab fell under their jurisdiction. Its unclear if Farak is still with Lee, as they have both remained out of the public eye since the case. Linda was born on 19th July 1951. Criminal. This achievement earned her a full page layout in the local paper and some local TV news coverage. She started bringing drugs home, and doing them first thing in the morning. Cohen and Felson's (Long, 2021) In the series, it's explained that Farak loved the energy the meth gave her. That settlement awaits approval by a judge. I want to be accepted like one of them, Sonja said during the local news segment, included in the docuseries. The latter investigation was the result of a complaint filed by Nina Morrison, senior litigation counsel for the Innocence Project. "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," she says. In 2017, Rolando Penate filed a $5.7 million lawsuit against 18 defendants, including Farak. church view cottage kirk yetholm,
