Four arrested at Penn National

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Harrisburg, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Three thoroughbred trainers at Penn National Racetrack and a track employee have been arrested and charged with fraud.

Indictments were unsealed Friday, following the arrests, charging trainers David Wells, Sam Webb and Patricia Anne Rogers, and clocker Danny Robertson with fraud in connection with racing at Penn National. A federal grand jury returned indictments on Wednesday.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the trainers have been charged with defrauding thoroughbred bettors of races at Penn National "by attempting to administer and administering, in violation of state racing rules and regulations, substances prohibited from being introduced into a horse within 24 hours of when the horse is scheduled to race."

Robertson was charged with providing false workout times for horses training at Penn National for cash compensation and providing the false workout times to Equibase and racing officials. Workout times are used by horse bettors in determining their wagers.

The continuing investigation is being conducted by the Harrisburg office of the FBI, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Horse Racing Commission, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.