Wrightwood Woman Sentenced To 41 Months For Horse Fraud Scheme

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Southern California woman accused of drugging horses to calm them and painting others to change their color before showing them to potential buyers has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison.

Trina Lee Kenney of Wrightwood was sentenced in Los Angeles on Wednesday after pleading guilty in October to one count of mail fraud.

A federal judge also ordered the 32-year-old Kenney to pay $272,609.50 to 88 victims in 23 states and Canada.

Kenney used websites to advertise her horses. When customers ordered a horse based on her claims, prosecutors say, she would deliver substandard horses, different horses or no horses.

Prosecutors say horses were delivered sick, starved, covered in sores and unable to walk.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)