A University of Tennessee veterinary hospital employee is accused of repeatedly taking fentanyl from a controlled-drug cabinet, ingesting it at work and replacing it with saline. The alleged diversion turned a routine medication-control issue into a police investigation at the Knoxville facility.
Alison Klafehn, 41, was arrested Monday morning at the UT Veterinary Medical Center and faces theft and prescription drug fraud charges, according to WVLT News. Court records cited by the station say investigators believe she took multiple vials over several occasions.
The Knoxville center is Tennessee’s only academic veterinary medical center, with small-animal, large-animal and diagnostic services, according to the UT College of Veterinary Medicine. UT said its controlled-substance cabinets require secure sign-ins, automatically record access and dispensing, track drug quantities, and are monitored by cameras.
According to police reports summarized by WVLT, another employee noticed the cabinet being opened without a matching drug-use entry and at a time that did not align with scheduled surgeries. Security footage allegedly showed Klafehn removing fentanyl and replacing it with sodium chloride, while she told officers she would ingest “6 to 8 mL” at a time; investigators initially estimated more than 40 milligrams was missing.
What The Tennessee Charges Could Mean
Tennessee’s theft grading law classifies property valued above $1,000 and below $2,500 as a Class E felony, matching the range listed in Klafehn’s charge. The state’s prescription-drug-fraud statute addresses obtaining a controlled substance through fraud, deception or subterfuge.
UT said Klafehn was terminated for gross misconduct and that veterinary medical center leaders are cooperating with the University of Tennessee Police Department while reviewing whether additional security measures are needed. The investigation remains ongoing, and the final amount of missing fentanyl has not been determined.
