CLEARFIELD – Following more than two years of litigation, District Attorney Ryan Sayers announced Wednesday that the Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office will be receiving approximately $561,000 from his lawsuit against the companies that were involved in driving the opioid crisis. These proceeds will be distributed from a trust over the next 18 years.
In the spring of 2020, Sayers joined the opioid lawsuit by filing a complaint against Johnson & Johnson, Purdue Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and other distributors and manufacturers of the drugs involved in the opioid crisis.
The District Attorney’s lawsuit was separate from that of the Clearfield County Commissioners, who are slated to receive a little more than $2.7 million, and that of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Pursuant to Exhibit E of the settlement agreement, these funds are to be used to provide treatment and programs for those addicted to opioids and other controlled substances.
Specifically, it is required that the settlement proceeds be used for initiatives like Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), treatment for those while incarcerated, support for those in treatment and recovery and diversionary programs in the criminal justice system (i.e. drug courts).
“This settlement does not undo the immense harm caused by the greed of these manufacturers and distributors, and has led to a generation of people addicted to opioids and other controlled substances,” said Sayers.
“However, in conjunction with law enforcement and the commissioners, we can use these funds over the next 18 years to provide programming and assistance to those in need in Clearfield County.
“It is my hope that we can use part of the proceeds to start the Drug Court that our county needs, and in turn reduce the recidivism rate for those addicted to these drugs.”
