Man Allegedly Killed Horses for Insurance : Thoroughbreds: Kentucky dentist is charged with making lethal injections in return for cash.

MIAMI —  A Kentucky dentist allegedly killed thoroughbred racehorses so owners could collect insurance money, the FBI said Monday.

Dr. Joseph James Brown of Shelbyville, Ky., was arrested and charged with wire fraud Feb. 17 at Calder Race Course after an investigation by the FBI and the New York-based Thoroughbred Racing Protective Board.

“Brown was arrested . . . by FBI agents as he was about to administer a lethal injection to a thoroughbred race horse,” FBI spokesman Paul Miller said.

Brown allegedly said he would charge $15,000 to kill one horse--$2,500 down and the rest upon settlement of the insurance claim, according to the FBI.

An associate claimed Brown had also killed horses in New York and New Jersey, the FBI said.

The horse-killing scheme had gone on for a few months, said Paul Berube, president of the racing board. He declined to provide additional details.

Brown, 43, was released on $5,000 bond after his arrest but later failed to contact Miami federal court to submit the name of his lawyer as required. He has been given until 5 p.m. today to do so, court officials said, but hasn’t been declared a fugitive.

Brown is charged with making telephone calls across state lines in a scheme to defraud. The warrant for his arrest says the scheme involved “collecting on insurance policies by intentionally destroying thoroughbred racing horses via lethal injection.”

An undercover investigator with the racing board visited Brown at his horse farm near Shelbyville in December, according to an FBI affidavit. Brown told the agent he had killed a horse and insurance money was collected after the animal’s death.

Brown offered his services if the agent ever wanted a horse killed for insurance money, the document said. Last month, Brown referred the agent to a third party, identified as Bob West, in Lexington, Ky., to discuss the arrangement.

West and the agent met in Lexington, the FBI affidavit said. West told the agent of other horses he and Brown had killed in New York and New Jersey.

The agent and West discussed the fee for the horse’s death, which was to be based on the dollar amount of the insurance on the animal, according to the document. The agent later set the $15,000 fee with Brown.

Brown and the agent arranged for the dentist to travel to Miami to kill a horse that the agent said had been insured for four years. The agent met Brown at Miami International Airport and the two traveled to the stables at Calder, according to the affidavit.

They were met there by FBI agents who arrested Brown before any horses were hurt.

“During a search of Dr. Brown, two vials of a clear liquid and two syringes were concealed in his socks,” the affidavit said.