Woman tells judge: Heroin ‘ruined my life’

YOUNGSTOWN — Judge Elizabeth Kobly said when she was 25 she was having the time of her life.

Not so for Sarah Capaldi, the woman the judge sentenced today on misdemeanor drug-abuse instrument and drug-paraphernalia charges. She’s trying to break a heroin addiction.

Judge Kobly gave Capaldi, 25, of Owsley Road, McDonald, an 18-month probation that calls for treatment, counseling and random drug testing. If she fails the probation, the judge said she will impose a 90-day jail sentence.

Capaldi said she has been addicted to heroin since she was 22.

The judge asked why she even started in the first place.

“I have no answer to that,” Capaldi said. “I was hanging around with the wrong people.”

Capaldi said her decision to begin using the drug is the worst she has ever made.

“It has definitely ruined my life,” Capaldi said. “If I could go back, I’d change it all.”

Her attorney, Rhys Cartwright-Jones, asked for an intensive period of probation for Capaldi. He said she has been drug free for several weeks and would have passed a drug screen if she was tested Tuesday.

He also said she has stayed drug free despite the death of her father just over three weeks ago.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com