Harness trainer Christopher Oakes pled guilty to one count of misbranding and drug adulteration with intent to defraud or deceive on Wednesday, when he appeared before federal judge Mary Kay Vyskocil via teleconference. According to the Thoroughbred Daily News, Oakes is the 10th of the original 27 indicted in March 2020 to plead guilty in a scheme to use performance-enhancing drugs in racehorses.
Oakes was allegedly overheard on wire taps speaking to Jorge Navarro (who was also indicted and pled guilty) about the distribution and use of performance-enhancing drugs to Thoroughbreds. Specifically, the TDN reported that Oakes and Navarro were overheard making plans to administer performance-enhancing substances to X Y Jet, who later died suddenly.
Navarro changed his plea from not guilty to guilty this summer, but has not yet been sentenced.
Oakes told Vyskocil on Wednesday: “I purchased medications from Dr. Seth Fishman and Dr. Gregor Skelton and his assistant Ross Cohen and administered the medications to the horses in my care to gain an unfair advantage.”
Oakes will be sentenced on Feb. 17, and faces up to three years in prison.
Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.
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