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Is Snitch based on a true story?

Snitch tells the incredible tale of a father who attempts to infiltrate the drug dealing underworld as part of a deal with the courts to free his son from jail but is the eye-opening film based on a true story?

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Snitch is a 2013 thriller that is currently finding a new lease of life after being added to Netflix in the US on September 1, 2023, with the film captivating viewers and earning itself a spot on the streaming service’s Top 10 movies list.

Snitch plot preview

Snitch follows Johnson’s character, John Matthews, the owner of a construction company whose estranged son, Jason, lands himself in jail after being framed for dealing drugs.

Thanks to the harsh minimum sentencing laws in the US, Jason faces at least 10 years in prison and as many as 30 years if matters go against him.

In a desperate attempt to reduce his son’s sentence, John makes a deal with the opportunistic District Attorney and vows to infiltrate the world of drug trafficking and become an informant.

John recruits the unwitting help of an ex-con named Daniel James (Jon Bernthal) who he hopes will be his in into the criminal underworld where any misplaced step could be his last.

Is Snitch based on a true story?

Yes, Snitch is based on a true story.

The film is inspired by the real-life tale of James Settembrino who, in 1992, faced a similar situation to that shown in the film as his own son, Joey, was arrested on drug dealing charges.

James and Joey’s story was picked up by the PBS documentary series Frontline and just like the film, the episode that focused on them was also titled Snitch.

However, as the Dwayne Johnson-starring film is an action-packed thriller, the movie does make a few changes to the story in order to add a little more tension, drama, and explosiveness.

In the film, John Matthews’ time with the cartel ends with a violent car chase after his status as an informant is revealed. After making it to safety, his son is released and their family eventually goes into witness protection.

In reality, James Settembrino’s efforts to free his son were actually unsuccessful as his proposed deal with the prosecutor collapsed, leaving Joey at the mercy of the strict minimum sentencing laws which saw him receive a 10-year prison sentence.

James Settembrino discusses his real-life experiences

Speaking to PBS Frontline, the real James Settembrino discussed some of the events that inspired Snitch.

“I’ll never forget that night when I got that first telephone call as he was in jail for the first evening,” he said. “All he said was, ‘I’m here, get me out, I’ll never be able to do 10 years,’ and broke down for the first time and the phone went dead. That’s all he said to me. I’ll never forget that.”

Following his son’s arrest, James was contacted by the government who revealed he could help reduce Joey’s sentence if he assisted them and worked as an informant.

“I tried to find people who were dealing in drugs by finding people who were using drugs,” he explained. “And once I found someone who was using drugs, then naturally it wasn’t very hard to find out … where they were getting the drugs from.”

“But I guess I’ve got a symbol on me that says I’m not a drug user, so it was very, very difficult. No one would sell to me. I never was able to make a single sale, even for $10 worth of drugs, let alone $10,000.”

Eventually, James’s efforts to reduce his son’s sentence collapsed as the prosecutor on the case, James Boma, voided the deal with Settembrino saying: “Boma got on the phone and he just started screaming at me.

“He said, ‘The deal is off, the deal is off. You got nothing, you’re not doing a thing, you’re not getting any help and I don’t care if your son stays in jail for 20 years, we got no deal. Finished.’ And he hung up the phone on me.”

Snitch is available to stream now on Netflix in the US.

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