A Massachusetts math professor is likely getting lectured by her lawyer, after she and her son were arrested in connection with running a meth lab out of their home.
Irina Kristy, 74, of Somerville, Mass., faces possible charges of distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and a drug violation in a school zone, The Boston Globe reports.
It all sounds like a real-life episode of Breaking Bad -- the hit AMC crime drama about a high school chemistry teacher who sells meth to make money for his family.
In Kristy's case, police raided her home last month and found methamphetamines along with evidence of a drug lab, according to the Globe. Hazmat crews and a bomb squad were called to clean-up the home, about 500 feet from an elementary school. Neighbors were evacuated.
Kristy's son, Grigory Genkin, 29, has already pleaded not guilty to the same charges his accused meth-lab professor mother is set to face. Genkin's bail was set at $1,000.
Kristy has taught math for more than 20 years at both Suffolk University and Boston University. Suffolk University has placed her on administrative leave; a BU spokesman has declined to comment.
The math professor's likely criminal charges could add up to a lengthy prison sentence, if prosecutors can prove their meth lab case.
The charge of conspiracy requires at least two people who agree to commit a crime and take some action toward committing that crime.
In this case, prosecutors need to prove Kristy and her son agreed to make and distribute illegal drugs, and took steps toward that illegal goal. For a conspiracy charge, prosecutors do not need to show the crimes were actually committed.
But if Kristy is convicted, the court may be inclined to give her a more lenient sentence, as some judges perceive elderly criminals as posing little risk to society. In making this determination, a judge would also consider Kristy's prior criminal record. It's not clear if she has one.
When a Globe reporter reached Kristy by phone, the accused meth lab professor declined to comment. Her next court date is Dec. 20.
Related Resources:
- 74-Year-Old College Professor Charged With Running Somerville Meth Lab (WBZ-TV)
- Instructors - Mathematics & Statistics (Boston University)
- Drug Charges (FindLaw)
- Meth-Related Child Abuse Cases on the Rise? (FindLaw's Blotter)