Racehorse owner charged with selling stolen golf balls on eBay

A prominent horse-racing figure in the Sacramento area found himself in the Placer County jail this week for allegedly selling stolen golf balls on eBay.

Gregg Michael Pistochini, who owns harness racehorses and does commentary for Cal Expo simulcasts to other racetracks across the country, was apprehended after making a transaction with an undercover officer Tuesday, the Placer County Sheriff's Department reported.

A detective said the theft of the high-end golf balls from local retail shops amounted to more than $19,000 at retail prices.

Pistochini, 41, of Auburn was booked on suspicion of conspiracy, grand theft and burglary. He was released from custody after posting $10,000 bail.

The horse owner, who also has a furniture business with his family in Auburn, was surprised to learn his arrest was publicized by the Sheriff's Department.

"They've got a lot of information in there that's incorrect," he said after reading a press release on the sheriff's Web site.

He declined to comment further, saying he wanted to discuss it with his attorney.

Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Whigam said Pistochini purchased stolen balls from a Sacramento man, Louis Latino, who shoplifted cases of Callaway golf balls from retail stores.

Latino would sell the balls to Pistochini, who would then put them up for sale on eBay in lots of six dozen balls, Whigam said.

"He paid Latino $15 for a box of one dozen balls and then put the box up for sale on eBay at $25 per box," he said, adding that a dozen balls sell for as much as $38 in stores.

Whigam said detectives are aware that the practice went on for at least three months between Pistochini and Latino. He said Pistochini sold about $9,700 worth of the balls on eBay at the discounted price.

The scheme was discovered after security personnel at a Target store in Sacramento County detained Latino after an alleged shoplifting incident, Whigam said. The security officers recognized Latino because he'd been observed shoplifting on surveillance cameras in the past, Whigam said.

Latino was booked into the Sacramento County jail on suspicion of theft and parole violation, Whigam said.

Further investigation by detectives led to Latino's association with Pistochini, he said.

An undercover officer, posing as a friend of Latino, contacted Pistochini and arranged a sale of golf balls to him at a Roseville gas station, Whigam said.

After his arrest, Pistochini gave permission for officers to search his Auburn home, he said. More golf balls were found at the residence, the sergeant said.

Dick Feinberg, general manager of the Sacramento Harness Association, which has a contract for Pistochini's services at Cal Expo, was reached in Florida Wednesday and said he didn't have much information on the arrest.

"I don't have all the facts," he said. "I'll be back Friday and try to find out more."

Pistochini is the owner of the harness racehorse Eaton Road Kill, which set two world records before being recently retired.

In an interview with The Bee in 2005, Pistochini, who also worked as an assistant basketball coach at Casa Roble High School in Orangevale, said he owned about two dozen racehorses.

About the writer:

• The Bee's Art Campos can be reached at (916) 773-2825 or acampos@sacbee.com.