A Delmont woman who works as a veterinary technician is accused of attempting to fill a Xanax prescription for her dog four months after it had been euthanized, according to court papers.
Agents with the state attorney general’s office also said Bobbi Jo Vaia, 38, filled a legitimate Xanax prescription for the dog five times after the animal had been euthanized. Vaia, who claimed to be a manager at the Hempfield practice where she worked as a veterinary technician, posted $50,000 bail Monday and was released from the Westmoreland County Prison, according to court records.
She was arrested Friday on charges of identity theft, acquisition by misrepresentation and related offenses.
Agents said the situation was reported to them after a person claiming to be the manager of a Hempfield veterinary practice attempted on Aug. 25 to call in a prescription to a pharmacy for 300 Xanax tablets for Vaia’s dog that was euthanized in April, according to court papers. Investigators said they later learned that the practice manager did not work on Aug. 25.
When a pharmacist attempted to confirm the prescription with a veterinarian that day, Vaia was confronted at work and denied making the phone call, according to court papers.
Investigators said they also learned that Vaia’s dog was legitimately prescribed the anti-anxiety medication in March, about a month before the canine was euthanized, with five refills for a total of 1,500 pills. The prescription was filled five times between April and Aug. 17, all of which were after the dog’s death, according to court papers.
Video surveillance of an August prescription pickup showed a woman who matched Vaia’s description driving an SUV registered to her and a loyalty card belonging to Vaia was used on three occasions, police said.
After the incident, authorities said Vaia used the names of a U.S. Marshal and a state trooper to claim investigations were underway regarding the attempted fraudulent prescription in communications with her former employer and state attorney general agents, according to court papers. Both law enforcement officers said they were acquainted with Vaia but were not investigating.
In one of the communications, Vaia used the name of a U.S. Marshal to claim that arrest warrants had been issued in connection with the attempted fraudulent prescription for two of her former family members, according to court papers. No such warrants exist.
Vaia did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 10. Her veterinary technician license was issued in 2010 and is set to expire in November 2024, according to state records. It was last renewed in October.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
