Harness Trainer Dane Latest to Change Plea in PED Case
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Photo: Courtesy U.S. Dept of Justice
A medication found by the FBI in a search of Equestology
A change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled Feb. 18 for harness trainer Rick Dane Jr. after U.S. Attorneys informed District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in the Southern District of New York that Dane had accepted a plea offer from the government.
Dane, one of more than two dozen individuals charged in a large-scale horse-doping case in early 2020, becomes the latest indicted individual to reach a plea offer. The action follows the conviction earlier this month of veterinarian Dr. Seth Fishman and rulings from Vyskocil that admitted federal wiretaps, capturing many defendants discussing the sale, distribution, or use of performance-enhancing drugs to give to racehorses.
Fishman faces up to 20 years in prison.
The government alleges Dane bought PEDs to administer to the Standardbred racehorse Glass Prince in February 2018 and texted Lisa Giannelli in April 2019 about buying PEDs. Giannelli worked with Fishman at Equestology, a company that sold and distributed PEDs, prosecutors claim.
Giannelli went on trial with Fishman this winter, though a mistrial was declared Jan. 24 for Giannelli after her attorney tested positive for COVID-19.
Numerous individuals have submitted guilty pleas in the horse-doping case, including Thoroughbred trainer Jorge Navarro. He reports to prison next month for a five-year sentence.
Fellow Thoroughbred trainer Jason Servis is the most recognizable figure of those individuals still maintaining pleas of not guilty.