Furay Into Criminal Stardom: Texas Teenager’s Mugshot Goes Viral

We have previously discussed people who simply do not know how to take a mugshot . . . and some who appear long prepared for their close up. Sarah Elizabeth Furay, 19, is one of the photo-ready alleged felons. Dubbed the “happiest mugshot” by the Houston Chronicle, Furay seems like she has been selected for a free exotic cruise rather than a slew of drug charges in College Station, Texas. Indeed, this smiling individual has been described by media as an alleged “drug kingpin.” I hardly see the basis for that distinction but the police certainly hit a treasure trove of drugs and evidence.

After executing a search warrant police reportedly found five different types of drugs (including coke, meth, and ecstasy), packaging materials, digital scales, and a handwritten price list for the illegal wares. They also found phone records that they say show Furay running the drug business. She has been charged with three counts of manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance, as well as one count of drug possession, KAGS notes. She posted a $39,000 bail.

We have previously discussed this long-standing debate of defense lawyers of whether clients should smile or not smile for mugshots in high-visibility cases. The former can be misinterpreted as being unconcerned or even humored by an arrest. Yet, the latter can leave an impression of a guilty disposition. Most recommend a neutral expression.

Furay shows the danger of being too peppy. Her photo has joined the viral mugshot collection on the Internet with other photos from her social media, an interesting phenomenon that we have previously discussed. That is not a good thing when you are accused of running a drug business, though I can almost hear Hollywood screenwriters checking flights to College Station.