Jockey Roman Chapa charged with felony in buzzer case

Jockey Roman Chapa has been charged with a felony by the Harris County district attorney in connection with his alleged use of an illegal electrical device while riding Quiet Acceleration to victory in the Richard King Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 17.

Chapa, a 43-year-old resident of Big Spring, Texas, is being accused on state charges of unlawful influence on racing after an investigation by Jeffrey Green of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The investigation hinged largely on a photograph, taken by official track photographer Jack Coady, showing what appears to be an object in the jockey’s left hand. As of late Monday afternoon, Chapa had not been taken into custody but bail was set at $10,000.

Questions about the photograph and an investigation by the Texas Racing Commission were first reported in the Paulick Report. 

Source: Paulick Report