Track Announcer, Jockey Among Those Arrested in Texas Bush-Racing Raid

New details have emerged about arrests Sunday at an illegal quarter-horse racetrack, or bush track, that operated near the city of Levelland in West Texas.

A total of 14 people were arrested during a raid by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas Racing Commission, and local law enforcement agencies, which uncovered cocaine and illegal gambling machines at the track, known as Carril Mochomos.

Among those detained were Ramón Garcia, the track announcer, and his wife, Edna Hernandéz, both prominent broadcasters of illegal, unregulated races via the social media channel “Carreras Time.”

Carril Mochomos openly advertised its events on social media and posted slickly produced videos of racing highlights, complete with informational graphics.

Illegal Gambling

Nine of those arrested at the track have been charged with various crimes, including engaging in organized criminal activity, money laundering, unlawful racing, illegal gambling activity, and racketeering.

Also arrested at the scene was Daniel Avila, a jockey who participates in legitimate horse racing in New Mexico.

Cesar Pacheco, the track operator, and his partner, Delmy Lizette Rios-Guerrero, were also among those detained, as was Jaime Hernandez who was responsible for track security.

The raid came after investigators with animal rights group PETA observed operations at Carril Mochomos and passed their findings onto the DPS.

The group has previously investigated unregulated racing in Georgia, which led to charges against seven people in that state.

‘Cesspools of Crime’

At the Rancho El Centenario bush track in Georgia, PETA claimed to witness trainers openly injecting horses with drugs. Discarded syringes collected at the scene were later found to contain cocaine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), and caffeine, sometimes in combination.

PETA’s investigators also documented illegal gambling, the use of electroshock devices to make horses run faster, and the deaths of horses on the track.

PETA has found that bush tracks are cesspools of crime where horses are beaten, electroshocked, injected with street drugs, and raced literally to death,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement to Casino.org.

“PETA applauds the Texas Department of Public Safety for cracking down on Carril Mochomos and urges it to do the same at … other bush tracks operating in the state,” added Guillermo.

The organization said it identified as many as 50 illegal “bush tracks” across Texas and estimates that there are more than 150 such tracks throughout the US.