A federal court has ordered a Putnam County, W. Va., veterinarian to pay nearly $1 million in civil penalties after she failed to account for thousands of opioid doses and other controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia announced in August that Clara Ann Mason, 64, of Winfield, was found liable for serious recordkeeping and security violations involving approximately 9,796 dosage units of oxycodone, hydrocodone/acetaminophen, and other drugs. Investigators determined Mason ordered unusually high quantities of opioids—her oxycodone purchases reportedly made up 74 percent of her supplier’s total sales between 2021 and 2023—and discovered unsecured drugs and missing records during a DEA inspection. Mason later surrendered her DEA registration. Authorities allege she fabricated records claiming the opioids were administered to pets prior to euthanasia; interviews with clients reportedly contradicted those claims. The court entered a $956,709 default judgment against her. For more information on this case, visit the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia.
