Four charged with allegedly rigging horse races

HARRISBURG Federal prosecutors announced fraud-related charges Friday against three trainers and a man who timed practice runs at a central Pennsylvania horse track for allegedly trying to rig races.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Harrisburg said track security caught two trainers with drugs and syringes in stalls at the Penn National Race Course in Grantville this year, and alleged that a third trainer routinely doped horses.

Officials say the timer, Penn National employee Danny Robertson, 63, of Hershey, took bribes to report false workout times to racing officials.

The trainers are David Wells, 39, of Grantville; Sam Webb, 63, of Jonestown; and Patricia Anne Rogers, 43, of Hummelstown.

All four were charged with violating a federal law that pertains to using an interstate facility to promote gambling in violation of state law.

Additionally, Webb was charged with attempting to commit wire fraud; Wells and Robertson were both charged with wire fraud; and Rogers was charged with two fraud-related counts.

It was not clear Friday whether they had lawyers.

Track officials confirmed four people were arrested there Friday morning and said Robertson had been suspended. The trainers are not Penn National employees, said the statement from Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Prosecutors said the investigation is continuing.