Garcia Admits Guilt in Horse Doping Case

On Aug. 1 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Dr. Erica Garcia entered guilty pleas to misdemeanor horse doping charges.

The pleas were accepted by Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil following the filing on the same day of a superseding information, a charging document that bypasses the grand jury process. Previously, Garcia was facing a felony. She was among more than two dozen individuals indicted by the federal government in 2020 in a wide-sweeping case over the creation, procurement, and administration of performance-enhancing drugs in racehorses.  

The information alleges that from at least in or about 2016 through at least in or about April 2019, Garcia caused to be mailed in interstate commerce adulterated and misbranded drugs, and administered adulterated and misbranded drugs to racehorses trained by Jorge Navarro; and that from at least in or about April 2019 through at least in or about November 2019, she caused to be mailed in interstate commerce adulterated and misbranded drugs.

According to an preliminary order of forfeiture/money judgment, Garcia admitted the allegations and agreed to a money judgment against her of $18,276.68.

Navarro is serving a five-year sentence after pleading guilty in the same court last December.

Garcia, who holds a veterinary license in the state of Florida, will be sentenced Dec. 12 according to an online case entry.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anden Chow appeared for the government. Attorneys Deborah Colson and Aaron Mysliwiec appeared for Garcia.

Former trainer Jason Servis and veterinarian Dr. Alexander Chan are scheduled for trial Jan. 9 in Vyskocil's court.