{
  "id": 6330267,
  "title": "Former lab analyst sentenced to 10 years in prison for manipulating DNA data",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/former-lab-analyst-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison-for-manipulating",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-08T21:20:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian US",
    "slug": "the-guardian-us",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/08/former-lab-analyst-sentenced-manipulating-dna"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Colorado Bureau of Investigation analyst Missy Woods has been sentenced to ten years in prison for manipulating DNA data in criminal cases involving homicide, sexual assault, and robbery. According to prosecutors, Woods altered years of data, which raised doubts about the validity of hundreds of criminal cases. She pleaded guilty to perjury, attempting to influence a public servant, forgery, and committing a cybercrime in June.\n\nThe misconduct was discovered during an investigation that began in September 2023 after an intern at the bureau noticed missing information in a case Woods had handled in 2018. Woods initially claimed that she manipulated data to expedite case completion. As part of the plea agreement, multiple other charges against her were dropped.\n\nThe investigation revealed that problems with Woods' work were present in cases involving various crimes. At least one murder conviction was overturned due to her misconduct, and prosecutors had to review hundreds of cases. Woods resigned from her position in 2023 after a long career.\n\nDuring her sentencing hearing in Golden, Colorado, Woods expressed deep regret for her failure to fulfill her responsibility with the evidence, stating that she knew her apology would not undo the harm she caused. The investigation into her actions began over a decade ago, with concerns first surfacing in 2014. In 2018, she was temporarily removed from DNA case work after being accused of data manipulation.\n\nThe consequences of Woods' misconduct may cost more than $11 million in Colorado.",
  "summary": "Authorities accused Missy Woods of altering years worth of data in cases involving homicide, sexual assault and robbery A judge sentenced a former forensic analyst for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after authorities said her manipulation of DNA data had raised questions about the validity of hundreds of criminal cases. Yvonne “Missy” Woods pleaded guilty in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Former Colorado crime analyst gets 10-year prison sentence for manipulating DNA data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/former-colorado-crime-analyst-gets-10-year-prison-sentence-for",
        "published": "2026-09-08T20:28:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Former Colorado crime analyst gets 10-year prison sentence for manipulating DNA data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/former-colorado-crime-analyst-gets-10-year-prison-sentence-for-6326287",
        "published": "2026-09-08T20:53:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}