Racehorse breeder Paragallo indicted on 35 counts of animal cruelty for neglecting horses

Paragallo indicted on horse cruelty charges

COXSACKIE, N.Y. — A Greene County grand jury has indicted racehorse breeder Ernest Paragallo on 35 misdemeanor cruelty charges arising from allegations that horses on his upstate New York farm were underfed and parasite-infested.

State Police raided Paragallo’s farm 20 miles south of Albany on April 8 and charged the Long Island resident with 22 cruelty counts. The grand jury added 13 more counts on Thursday.

The state Racing and Wagering Board terminated Paragallo’s racing privileges on the day of the raid, and his two daughters have since surrendered their owner’s licenses.

Paragallo has started more than 4,500 horses and earned more than $20.6 million in purses over the years.

Neither Paragallo nor his lawyer immediately returned phone calls Thursday.