Vet sentenced to three years in prison for role in racehorse doping scheme

Dr Kristian Rhein was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in prison for his role in a doping scheme that involved racehorses he treated for trainer and co-defendant Jason Servis.

Despite a request for home detention or probation, judge Mary Kay Vyskocil applied the full sentence recommended by prosecutors when Rhein submitted a guilty plea to distributing adulterated and misbranded performance-enhancing drugs to Servis and then hiding his activity from regulators.

“This is a serious offence and was not an isolated or one-time offence," Vyskocil said. "It was a long-term and ongoing offence. Once he became aware of the investigation, he and his co-conspirators took steps to hide their offences from regulators and the public.

“He has been depicted as someone who wants to help others, but he had that chance as a veterinarian and he abused that trust by betraying those he was supposed to help.”

Rhein, Servis and trainer Jorge Navarro are among more than two dozen individuals who have been indicted in the case. Rhein and others are suspended from racing. He became the fifth to be sentenced to either a prison term, time served, or probation and is one of ten who have submitted a guilty plea.

Navarro received a five-year sentence last month and is scheduled to report to federal officials for incarceration next month.

Jorge Navarro (right): trained more than 1,000 winnersCredit: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

In announcing the Rhein sentence, Vyskocil also voiced a need to send a message to others in horseracing and other sports who are using or contemplating using performance enhancing drugs.

"I have little doubt Dr Rhein learned his lesson, but a message of deterrence has to be sent to others in this sport and other sports that cannot be ignored," she said.

Aside from his time in prison, Rhein must pay $1,021,800 in forfeitures and handed the court a check for $671,800 toward that debt. He is facing $729,716 in restitution and was fined $10,000.

"I want to apologise to the victims whose trust I violated as a professional," Rhein said. "I'm ashamed of my actions and what I did was inexcusable. I did not work in the best interests of my patients and for that I am sorry. I have refocused my life and have learned humility and the value of selflessness."

Rhein also said that he and Servis were the organisers behind the activities of Alexander Chan, Michael Kegley Jr, Rhein's associate Juliana Suarez, and Servis's assistant Henry Argueta, all of whom had knowledge of the scheme to deceive and defraud and were indicted.

Servis entered a not guilty plea and is expected to face a trial in the next few months.

In Wednesday's session, US assistant district attorney Andrew Adams said Rhein was involved in fraud that went on for years and was filled with cynicism and hypocrisy by Rhein.

"He was entrusted to care for animals and he injected them for months with no care for their health, but only to help win races," he said. "He chased profits rather than adhere to his professional, moral, and ethical standards. His sentence should send a message to others who choose profits over ethics and hopefully encourage others to report offences."

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