Servis Trial Set for Jan. 9, 2023

A date has been set for trainer Jason Servis' federal trial in which he faces charges of administering misbranded and adulterated performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil set Servis' trial for Jan. 9, 2023, with a pretrial conference to be held Jan. 5. He will be tried at the same time as defendant and veterinarian Alexander Chan. The judge's May 6 order also laid out the schedule for other defendants who were indicted on similar charges for the manufacturing, distributing, and administration of PEDs.

Veterinarian Erica Garcia and trainer Michael Tannuzzo will have their trials begin Sept. 12, with the pretrial conference to be held Sept. 8.

In February, Vyskocil said she had hoped to try Servis in the fall with several other defendants who, like Servis, have claimed they are innocent. The judge blamed the postponement on the courthouse's coronavirus restrictions that have made it more difficult to schedule trials in a timely manner. When scheduling criminal trials preference goes to defendants awaiting trial behind bars. Servis and Chan are free on bond.

Servis' attorney Rita Glavin also asked the judge to wait to try the case until next year because of a scheduling conflict. She said she will be busy this summer defending former President Donald Trump's former chief financial officer against fraud charges in New York State court.