Pretrial program deal set in horse slaughter case

Pretrial program deal set in horse slaughter case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman accused of selling thoroughbreds for slaughter instead of adopting them as promised can enter a program for first-time offenders under a deal with prosecutors.

Kelsey Lefever waived a preliminary hearing today on charges of theft by deception. Prosecutors say she promised horse owners she would put four of the animals up for adoption but instead sold them to an agent for a Canadian slaughterhouse.

Dauphin County First Assistant District Attorney Francis Chardo tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that Lefever will be banned from working at horse tracks and won’t be allowed to obtain any additional horses for two years.

Defense attorney Michael Sheldon says the resolution was in his client’s best interest. He says the Honeybrook, Chester County woman’s love of horses hasn’t diminished.