Richard Banca gets 30 months in doping scandal

The Paulick Report reports that former harness trainer Richard Banca has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after entering a guilty plea to one count of drug adulteration and misbranding in the sweeping 2020 indictment of two dozen racing trainers, veterinarians, and others. Banca appeared before U.S. District Court Judge P. Kevin Castel for sentencing on Sept. 20.

He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release, plus a fine of $10,000. At the time he changed his plea in April of this year, he also agreed to forfeit $120,975.40.

Banca had been indicted alongside veterinarian Dr. Louis Grasso, fellow harness horsemen Rene Allard, Thomas Guido, Conor Flynn, and Rick Dane, and drug distributor Donato Poliseno. Banca’s role in the doping ring dated back to at least 2015.

Banca was accused of purchasing drugs including pain blockers and bronchodilators from Louis Grasso, a former veterinarian and co-defendant. He is also alleged to have purchased custom-made products from Grasso, and to have paid Grasso to write prescriptions for the blood-building substance epogen (commonly known as erythropoietin or EPO).

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by Natalie Voss, for the Paulick Report