Woman Sentenced to 48 Months in Horse Fraud Case

Sixty-one victims of a San Bernardino woman who sold sick horses online finally got justice.

Trina Lee Kenney, of Wrightwood, was sentenced Wednesday to 48 months in federal prison after she agreed to plead guilty on one count of mail fraud.

Kenny sold sick horses over the Internet and in several cases, never delivered them after receiving payment, said federal prosecutors. In all, there were 88 victims and nearly $300,000 in damages.

As part of the plea agreement, Kenney will pay a total of $200,000 in restitution. After the verdict was read, she collapsed and was attended to by medical personnel.

Sylvia Jimenez was one of the buyers who said they paid for healthy horses, but received sick and deformed ones from Kenney. Jimenez paid $1,500 for her horse as part of the online transaction.

"It looked sick," Jimenez said of her horse. "It has blisters in the mouth, and it was bleeding from her privates."

Another victim, Nicole Krakowski, said she paid Kenney $2,800, but never received her horse.

Investigators said Kenney also painted two brown horses black so they would appear to be a more desirable breed.

Prosecutors said many of the horses she delivered were abused or neglected.

"We're shocked that she got the sentence she did," said Susan Blake, one of Kenney's 88 victims."But justice was served."