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Pa. Trainer Gets 6 Months For Drugging Horses, Rigging Races

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A central Pennsylvania horse trainer has been sentenced to 6 months in prison for rigging races by drugging up his rides.

A judge said Monday that David Wells must serve the first 3 months of his sentence in the Dauphin County Prison, followed by 3 months of work release. Wells' incarceration is part of a 5-year alternative-sentencing program.

The 50-year-old Wells pleaded guilty in December to rigging publicly exhibited contests. He's admitted using drugs to give his horses an advantage in Penn National Race Course races between 2009 and 2013.

Wells said he was aware the practice violated state law and racing regulations and that he tried concealing his activity from the public and the regulators.

He's the second person sentenced in a probe of race fixing in central Pennsylvania.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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