A Pennsylvania woman accused of selling to slaughter four retired Thoroughbred racehorses placed in her care for retraining has waived a preliminary hearing and will participate in a court program for first-time offenders under an agreement reached in the case.

In November Pennsylvania law enforcement authorities charged Kelsey Lefever with one count of felony deceptive or fraudulent business practices, two counts of felony theft by deception, and two counts of misdemeanor theft by deception for allegedly selling to slaughter four horses she contractually agreed to retrain for new careers and place in new permanent homes.

Dauphin County, Penn., First Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo said that during a Feb. 21 appearance in Dauphin County District Court, Lefever waived her right to preliminary hearing, and that prosecutors withdrew the deceptive or fraudulent business practices charge against her. Lefever still faces two misdemeanor counts of theft by deception and two felony counts of theft by deception, Chardo said. Arraignment on those charges is slated for April 19, he said.

Chardo said that under the agreement, Lefever will enter the first-time offender program