She cried as she was sentenced, Mass Live reported in 2014. Linda was married to Stanley M Farak, who was in the US Navy. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Farak's findings, and occasional testimony at court about her testing, was used as evidence to convict the person who had been arrested. "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. Before her sentencing, Farak failed a drug test while out on bail, according to Mass Live. After she was caught, Farak pleaded guilty to stealing drugs from the lab and was sentenced to prison time of 18 months. 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. She shone academically as well. A pair of scandals at two state . While she reached out to her family to let them know that the docuseries was coming out, she hasnt spoken to Farak and doesn't know much about her current life. Shortly into her role at Amherst, Farak decided to try liquid methamphetamine to ease her personal struggles. Farak pleaded guilty in 2014 to stealing drugs and tampering with evidence, in addition to using crack cocaine and other drugs while analyzing evidence at the lab. She started off doing drugs at work regularly she worked while on meth, liquid amphetamine, LSD, coke and crack. On top of that, it was also ensured that no analyst would ever work without supervision. She had been accused of intentional infliction of emotional distress in addition to the conspiracy to violate [Penates] civil rights.. 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. In the series, it's explained that Farak loved the energy the meth gave her. Easy access to drugs and the lack of supervision at work allowed Farak to maintain and hide her addiction for several years. 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. She has since been one of 18 defendants facing a lawsuit by Rolando Penate, who claims they. Farak admitted in testimony that she began using drugs almost as soon as she started working at the Massachusetts State Crime Lab in Amherst. 1. Time to get involved and help public media make an impact. The district attorneys in Norfolk, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Hampden and Northwest counties have dismissed charges in about 6,000 cases linked to Farak. Criminal. The staff in the new lab was also doubled, and the number of trainees was also increased. "All Defendant had to do to honor the Plaintiffs Brady rights was to turn over copies of documents that were obviously exculpatory as to the Farak defendants or accede to one of the repeated requests from counsel, including Plaintiffs counsel, that they be permitted to inspect the evidence seized from Faraks car," Robertson wrote in her ruling. There was something so tragic but also surreal about this story.. The settlement also covers relatives of deceased class members. 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. Rolling Stone covered both drug lab scandals in 2018 and uncovered that Farak had suffered from depression for many years. After weeks of hearings, a "special hearing officer" selected by the board recommended potential sanctions against them all. But I remember being terrified, sitting outside the courthouse hysterically crying. Though the four-part documentary series interviews some of Farak's family members, she does not appear in it herself. Sonja Farak during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown in 2013. Now, you might be curious about where Sonjas mother, Linda, is at the moment. 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. In 2019, she was seen leaving the Springfield Federal Court but declined to comment on the status of the case. Penate is just one of the thousands of people whose cases were affected by Faraks actions. People Also Viewed . Sonja Farak is the former state drug lab chemist featured in Netflix's "How to Fix a Scandal." Furthermore, Netflix has created a documentary on her story named 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal'. READ NEXT: Netflixs How to Fix a Drug Scandal Story: 5 Fast Facts, Sonja Farak: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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 . In Netflixs docuseries we get to hear from her sister, and mother, who give us an insight into Sonjas life, and how her actions impacted them. 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 . Heres what you need to know about Sonja Farak: Farak was born on January 13, 1978, in Rhode Island to Stanley and Linda Farak. Published Jul 1, 2020. As the docuseries shows, she admitted to a therapist in 2009 that she had been struggling with addiction issues since 2005. Powered by. She worked there for a year but soon realized she wouldnt make enough money there in the Boston area to buy a house. Background. She continued to experience suicidal thoughts, but instead of going through with those thoughts, she started taking the drugs that she would be testing at work. The four-part documentary focuses on Dookhan and an independent case of fraud in the drug lab by Sonja Farak. The average amount for each recipient is estimated at $375. From the start, we have recognized that defendants with vacated convictions should be refunded and are pleased to have engaged in a collaborative effort to reach a fair and efficient resolution for all involved.. Kaczmarek also oversaw the prosecution for the attorney general's office in that case. Support GBH. She played as the starting guard for Portsmouth High Schools freshman team. However, it must be said that Linda has maintained a straight backbone about the entire matter. She started doing drugs almost as soon as she took the job at Amherst, but it was after years of negligence on her superiors part that her actions finally came to light. 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. After launching a lengthy investigation, his attorney Luke Ryan discovered that Farak had been using drugs the same day she ran tests on the substances found on him, thanks to paperwork he discovered noting the date of one of Farak's therapy sessions, where she admitted to have been using that day. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Sonja Farak, left, stands during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Mass. Original release. It gave me energy. Regardless, there's little attention paid to the humanity of the actual chemist . It features the true story of Sonja Farak, a former state drug lab chemist in Massachusetts who was arrested in 2013 for consuming the drugs she was supposed to test and tampering with the evidence to cover up her tracks. Directed by Erin Lee Carr, How to Fix a Drug Scandal released in April 2020 on Netflix. 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. In How to Fix a Drug Scandal on Netflix, Ryan is the primary on-camera interviewee. ", "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. While Carr doesn't know a lot about Farak's personal life ("She's a very, very private person," she notes), the director does believe she is a "clear cut example" of the power of second chances. . The people who were involved in this will finally get justice, Westcott said. Inwardly though, Sonja was struggling. I find that everyone needs to be given a second chance.". She began working there in 2004 and enjoyed that it was more laid back than the job at Hinton. Westcott has been in recovery from heroin addiction for nearly nine years. Netflix's latest true-crime series, How to Fix a Drug Scandal, dives deep into a shocking Massachusetts scandal, one that started in the humble confines of an underfunded drug testing lab and ended with an entire system in question. Who is Sonja Farak? It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. Join us. Over time, Farak's drug use turned to cocaine, LSD and, eventually, crack. Former Assistant Attorney Generals Anne Kaczmarek and Kris Foster withheld evidence regarding Sonja Farak's drug abuse and committed fraud in order to minimise the fallout - but unfortunately,. Ive been struggling with that, Carr said Its very uncomfortable and I dont know what its been like for her.. Netflix's new docuseries How to Fix a Drug Scandal is about way more than former drug lab chemist Sonja Farak's years-long addiction to the drugs she was testing everyday. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education. I think shes a good person, she said. Her medical records included notes from Faraks therapist in Amherst, Anna Kogan. . 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. "They wanted Sonja to be really rendered as human," Carr explains. After their arrests, prosecutors at the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office then. In January 2017, after years of litigation, this Court established "a new protocol" for cases affected by the egregious misconduct of another former state chemist, Annie Dookhan. Kaczmarek argued before the BBO, and in response to Penate's lawsuit, that she was focused on prosecuting Farak and not defendants, like Penate, whose criminal cases were affected by Farak's misconduct. I mean she could have been my client.". A new documentary by Netflix 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal' looks at the . The show also delves into the issues of the state in discovering and reporting on the extent of the cases that were affected by Faraks actions. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. A judge will hold a final hearing on the settlement in October. (Netflix) A former state chemist, Sonja Farak, made headlines in 2013 when she was arrested for stealing and using drugs from a laboratory. He recommended she lose her law license for two years; the Office of Bar Counsel later argued Kaczmarek should be disbarred. In 2018, all of the criminal convictions more than 10,000 that Farak worked on were dismissed. Farak graduated with high distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and was passionate about science, according to Rolling Stone. Its almost as if somebody would take the worst part of my life and show it to millions of people.. Part of that process included having a conversation with Farak, though Carr couldn't capture it on camera. Criminal. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Farak admitted to being on a list of drugs while working between 2004 and her 2013 arrest. She is not active on any social media platform and has kept her distance from the press. He went to bat for clients who were affected by both Farak and Dookhans misconduct. YouTube The move comes months after the American Civil Liberties Union and the state's public defender agency asked the state's highest court to throw out all of the cases tainted by Sonja Farak, who . Within a year of working at the new lab, Farak began doing drugs. Many people watching the show are wondering: where is Sonja Farak now? DA Ryan on Farak Investigation. They wrote that she served 13 months and was paroled sometime in 2015.. 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 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. Ted Bundy. 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. Erin Lee Carr On Directing 'I Love You, Now Die'. . 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.. Nonetheless, she remains a private person and asks to be left alone. 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. We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. She said early recovery was hard because finding employment and housing was difficult with a criminal record and having to pay court fees. I could not imagine being high on liquid methamphetamine and hiding it, day in, day out, Carr told Oxygen.com, adding that her initial curiosity surrounding Farak kicked off the making of the docuseries. The four-part Netflix series goes deep into the story of a man named Rolando Penate, a case Farak had handled at the lab. 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. They were all rendered unacceptable. Annie Dookhan and Sonja Faraks crimes undermined the integrity of our justice system and impacted thousands of lives, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said when the settlement was reached in June. But it turns out that Farak was actually high while running some of those tests. The Farak scandal came as the state grappled with another drug lab crisis. The settlement is the result of a class action lawsuit seeking to reimburse those who had their cases dismissed. According to the notes, Farak thought it gave her energy, helped her to get things done and not procrastinate, feel more positive., Her partner Nikki Lee testified before a grand jury that she herself had tried cocaine, that she had observed Farak using cocaine in 2000, and that she had marijuana in her house when police officers arrived to search the premises as part of their investigation of Farak., In Faraks testimony during a grand jury investigation, she said that she became a recreational drug user during graduate school and used cocaine, marihuana, and ecstasy. She also said she used heroin one time and was nervous and sick and hated every minute of it [and had] no desire to use [it] again., Farak met and settled down with Nikki Lee in her 20s. 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. I felt amazing.. Sonja Farak is the subject of Netflix's "How To Fix a Drug Scandal. Her notes record on-the-job drug use ranging from small nips of the lab's baseline. This Board of Bar Overseers report comes as Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins last week said shes asking the states highest court to toss thousands of convictions for which evidence was processed at the now-disgraced Hinton lab. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, Farak attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she got a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry in 2000. She grew up in Portsmouth with her sister Amy. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Her parents were described as loving, and somewhat strict. 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. Farak was a former lab chemist at a lab in Amherst, Massachusetts and was convicted of stealing and using drugs from the lab where she worked. Sonja Farak, who worked as a chemist at the Amherst drug lab since 2004, was arrested in January 2013 after one of her co-workers noticed samples were missing from evidence. I felt euphoric, Kogan wrote of Farak. In the civil suit, she filed her own answer to the lawsuit and hired the services of attorney Susan Sachs. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "Not only did I already put my life on hold for the years that I was using, but now I was ready to be a functional member of society and I was blocked from doing that because of these charges," Westcott said. How to Fix a Drug Scandal depicts the role of former Attorney General of Massachusetts Martha Coakley, who was accused of political cover up. She recalled a hearing where she had to borrow $250 or return to jail. When she tried it she did so when others in the lab went out to lunch it met her expectations. Sonja Farak worked at the Amherst crime lab testing the authenticity of controlled substances submitted by state law enforcement agencies. 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. The special hearing officer found Kaczmarek "displayed no remorse" and was "not candid" during the disciplinary proceedings. Dookhan was. (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. She started bringing drugs home, and doing them first thing in the morning. Criminal. Her wrongdoings were exposed when unsealed cocaine and a crack pipe were found under her desk. 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 Amherst Bulletin reported that her medical records indicated that she only became addicted to drugs once she started working at the lab, in 2004. 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. 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. 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 isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," she says. 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. Perhaps, this desire for privacy, combined with Lindas age, is why she doesnt have much of a digital footprint. She was caught when it was discovered she was high on LSD while testing samples from. Sonja Farak. Audiences also hear from Farak's mother and sister who have never spoken to the press before. Linda was married to Stanley M Farak, who was in the US Navy. "No reasonable individual could have failed to appreciate the unlawfulness of [Kaczmarek's] actions in these circumstances," Robertson wrote in her ruling. In January 2014, she pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and drug possession. Farak struggled with mental health throughout her life, the documentary series explains. Farak as a young woman (Photo: Netflix) Her misconduct led to more than 24,000 drug cases being dismissed. I can guess that it has been very, very painful for her, she said. They wrote that she served 13 months and was paroled sometime in 2015. Shes a high school graduate. The docuseries did note that Farak is still a fan of the Patriots. Infamous drug lab chemist Sonja Farak faced an agonising new court case after being released from jail for smoking crack on the job. 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.. Unfortunately, Stanley passed away in 2015. Farak worked for the Amherst Drug Lab in Massachusetts for 9 years when she was convicted of stealing and using them. 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Former chemist Annie Dookhan was convicted in 2013 on charges of improperly testing drug evidence at a drug lab in Boston. 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.". I want to be accepted like one of them, Sonja said during the local news segment, included in the docuseries. The project has brought up questions Carr is still grappling with. Instead, Carr strived to create "the three-dimensional portrait" of Farak and figured out how to put that inside her documentary. Previously to her arrest, Farak lived in Laurel Park, Northampton in Massachusetts. Powered by. 3 Farak Defendants. The medical records stated that she did not have an existing drug problem that was amplified by her access to more substances. In fact, she was the first girl in the state of Rhode Island to play high school football in a public school system. . Why did she do that and where has it left her? Linda Farak is currently in her 60s. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. In fact, How To Fix a Drug Scandal shows the Faraks at a football game after Sonja serves time for her actions. She has pledged to dismiss Suffolk County drug convictions an estimated 74,800 for anyone whose drug certification was done at the Hinton Lab between May 2003 and August 2012. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 45 Year Olds. By some accounts, she is 68 years old. If the judge determines that it is fair, a settlement administrator will send out checks. He was most recently a reporter at The Lowell Sun. Both were convicted of tampering with the drugs they were testing for evidence in criminal cases, resulting in the state Supreme Judicial Court dismissing tens of thousands of compromised criminal cases.