The Ledford Guilty Pleas

[trackrat]

The Ledfords (Eric and father Seldon) and two stable associates pled guilty yesterday in a New Jersey Superior Court to charges relating to the possession of drugs "that my have enhanced the performance of the horses." Seldon Ledford, the trainer of record, pleaded guilty to the most serious charge.

Eric, the driver, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess the substances.

All four will be sentenced later.

Question for our forum: the original New Jersey Racing Commission ruling, I believe, called for ten year suspensions and fines, separate from the criminal charges. The question: should they be suspended for ten years, less years or a lifetime suspension?

My opinion: Lifetime suspension. This was NOT a small scale operation. This was not a questionable lab result. This was, essentially, organized crime.

[jay44224]

You can never quantify the number of people that were effected by these crimes - besides the patons who support this sport- you have their fellow horseman and owners who they took advantage of and cheated out of earnings they not only could have had but may have desperately needed. If the law allows for a lifetime ban - then it should be just that. The max is what is justified nothing less should be considered.

[trackrat]

Seldon Ledford went from being a slightly better than average trainer to over $3,000,000 in purses and the only criminal penalty he will get, according to media reports, is probation. And that is only because he pleaded guilty to possession (not use of) the substance in question. I know the plea bargaining process is meant to expedite the resolution and reduce/eliminate the cost of going to trial but probation doesn't seem like enough of a criminal penalty.

The NJRC had already suspended both of the Ledfords for 10.5 years and those suspensions are under appeal, with a settlement reportedly on the table. Media reports suggest that Eric thinks he will be back driving, somewhere, in a short time. Considering that he had full knowledge of what his father was doing, why should Eric be allowed to drive ANYWHERE? Let's hope the NJRC maintains his suspension AND all other jurisdictions show reciprocity.

[stitchwitch]

HOw is this any different than slots that are set to tight, or cheating at bingo, or price gouging. Somebody is getting cheated out of there money. Be it a horseman who can't compete or a betting patron. The penalty for this should be monetary. Make them take some of the illegally gotten gains and pay them back