A Southern California woman accused of drugging horses to calm them and painting others to change their color before showing them to potential buyers has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud.

Trina Lee Kenney, of San Bernardino sold sick horses online in the U.S. and Canada. She lied about the horses' health, temperament, physical appearance and breeding, painted some different colours and giving the animals drugs to make them easier to handle, prosecutors said.

Kenney used different websites to advertise her horses.

According to the Associated Press, “When customers ordered a horse based on her claims, prosecutors say, she would deliver substandard horses, different horses or no horses. Prosecutors say horses were delivered sick, starved, covered in sores and unable to walk.”

Ms. Kenny was ordered to pay $US273,000 to 88 victims and jailed for 41 months, the Los Angeles Times reported.

After the verdict was read, she collapsed and was attended to by medical personnel.

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