Police accuse head of anti-drug program of selling drugs at Starbucks
Redondo Beach police have arrested the founder of a Marina del Rey drug and alcohol abuse prevention group on narcotics charges.
Kendall Craig Farris was arrested Thursday at 3:40 p.m. at a Starbucks in El Segundo after narcotics officers set up the drug buy over the phone. Farris, who arrived by taxi, was given an envelope containing $480 by an undercover officer in exchange for methamphetamine and ecstasy tablets, according to police.
The drugs turned out to be fake. He was arraigned Friday on charges of selling a substance he alleged was drugs.
Farris, according to his website, is the founder of the Over the Wall Foundation and a recovering alcoholic and addict.
His mission, he says, is "to help youth, schools and families prevent drug and alcohol abuse before it starts, and intervene in any drug abuse which may already have begun."
--Jeff Gottlieb
The headline of this article is a blatant mischaracterization of the facts described in the article. If the details of the article are accurate, then Farris has not been accused of selling drugs - he has been accused of selling fake drugs as if they were real drugs.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 12, 2009 at 04:40 PM
wait...so he sold fake drugs? wouldn't that be fraud? because it sure the hell isnt' selling drugs. may be as head drug prevention he is burning people up-front to teach them a lesson - or may be he is a first class fraudster. I don't know, I don't know the guy nor have any affiliation to any of this but it sure sounded funny when I read it. So what should the real story be here...? A guy gets arrested for not selling drugs? I mean was it prescription drug pills? sugar pill? May be the Times doesn't pay reporters enough to find out anymore. Great story...a follow up would be great.
Posted by: J Valencia | June 12, 2009 at 04:58 PM
When will the world wake up and realize the 12-Step Religion is a complete money making FRAUD?
Posted by: August | June 12, 2009 at 05:14 PM
Tony Rafael wrote a great book, detailing the LA Times refusal to cover the city council and board of supervisors giving 82 million to so-called non-profits to address "inner city drugs and drug dealers."
The reality was the non-profits were the drug dealers. Don't know why LA Times wouldn't cover it.
Posted by: Bonnie | June 12, 2009 at 05:42 PM
McDonalds has computerized Barista machines now that mix most lattes just fine. They even sell iced coffees with sugar free flavorings! And best of all, the people at McDonalds need their job and act like it at all times. The retired sports heros and other very wealthy and highly qualified McDonalds franchisees tend not to hire people in their 20s with earrings in their nose and colored hair who hit on the under aged customers to go get high or for sex. It is why you should ban your children from ever setting foot in a Starbucks.
Posted by: Tom Turkey | June 12, 2009 at 06:09 PM
How many people trapped in the cycle of drug addicition and rehab have done the same? We definitely need better tools to treat addiction, such as the neural stimulation creqated by Dr. Margaret Patterson of Laguna Beach, but these approaches must overcome significant skepticism even when drug addicts like Pete Townshend and Keith Richards openly endorse them. The important thing is that we need to make progress faster because we are losing generations of our people. In fact, that is true across the whole spectrum of medical research.
Posted by: Joe Shea | June 12, 2009 at 06:33 PM
Typical hypocracy. Kinda like Elliot Spitzer or any number of priests or politicians.
Posted by: Pat Tillman | June 12, 2009 at 07:55 PM
times are rough....im sure he needed the money,i would've done the same..and anyways the drugs were fake so who cares.
Posted by: Randy zagoo | June 13, 2009 at 02:29 AM