(late) updates from DH
May 4, 2011 - Harrisburg, PA
PENNSYLVANIA RACING EXCLUSIVE
Darrel Delahoussaye, 48, will have all remaining charges expunged from his record upon completion of a plea agreement between Mr. Delahoussaye, his attorney William Goldman Jr. of Doylestown, PA and Dauphin County First ADA Francis T. Chardo. According the United Justice System Website, Delahoussaye’s charges have been moved to Plea Court where the formal plea will be processed at the Dauphin County Courthouse. “There have been highs and lows in my training career and my time at Penn National was no different. Unlike what my detractors say about me, I personally grieved each and every time one of my horses broke down,” said Darrel Delahoussaye. “I always went to the hospital to visit a jockey if he went down on one of my horses. There are other trainers at Penn National with a higher breakdown rate than me. What I learned from this experience is that an outsider in Dauphin County can be used as a scapegoat for other people’s crimes.”
Delahoussaye, a native of New Iberia, Louisiana, and trainer of 249 career winners (according to Equibase) including 82 in 2009 when he trained primarily for Michael Gill, was originally charged with two felony counts of Theft by Deception along with three misdemeanors; Administering Drugs to Racehorses (Class 1), Rigging a Public Exhibition (Class 1) and Tampering with Public Record/Information (Class 2). Both felony counts were dropped when conflicting testimony was given at a November 1 pre-trial hearing in front of Magisterial District Justice Lowell Witmer. According to the transcript from this hearing, Delahoussaye Attorney William Goldman cross-examined one witness whose ultimate testimony was in conflict with the Grand Jury presentment by Francis Chardo used to indict Delahoussaye.
According to a source familiar with Mr. Delahoussaye, plans to go to trial became aborted because the evidence against Mr. Delahoussaye was extremely weak. As part of this agreement, Mr. Delahoussaye will not have any charges on his public record unless he is found to be in contempt his ARD agreement. As part of this agreement, Mr. Delahoussaye agrees to not seek renewal of his racing privileges with the PHRC at any point in the future, but it does not preclude Delahoussaye from seeking a Trainer’s license in another jurisdiction.
The Pennsylvania ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition) program is designed to eliminate charges for first time offenders. ARD is not an admission of guilt, nor is it considered a conviction and any charges brought against an individual will not remain on their permanent arrest record. Mr. Delahoussaye has been a cooperative ally with the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission who has been doing their own investigation into alleged wrongdoing at Penn National. The PHRC probe is in full swing and several individuals licensed in various capacities are being investigated.
The Dauphin County Grand Jury Investigation remains active and one more individual will likely be arrested within the next two months. Under Pennsylvania Law an Investigative Grand Jury can remain active for up to 18 months
