Santa Fe deputy arrests Clopton

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested and charged former Rio Rancho veterinarian Debra Clopton with possession of controlled substances that she may have used in her practice.

The New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine pulled her license last year and continuing to possess the medications violates the law.

Clopton is being held in the Santa Fe County Adult Correctional Facility.

News stories about Clopton’s filthy homes and police accusations of cruelty to animals painted quite a picture during the past several months. Police described Clopton’s homes in Rio Rancho and Edgewood as filthy, deplorable and uninhabitable.

While she was practicing as a mobile veterinarian in Rio Rancho, the veterinary board yanked Clopton’s license. In March, the board and Attorney General Gary King’s office served a petition for preliminary and permanent injunction against her for continuing to practice medicine without a license.

Part of the evidence in the injunction is a signed complaint in which Rio Rancho resident Jan Hayes says she is concerned about whether Clopton administered appropriate medicine to her cat, used clean needles or even gave her cat appropriate treatments.

“Were the medications she administered real and legally procured?” she asked in the complaint.

Apparently, some of the medications Clopton had were not legal, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Lt. William Pacheco.

Deputies put on hazmat gear before entering Clopton’s Edgewood residence on Monday. They removed 48 dogs and found one dead animal there. They also found two controlled substances that are commonly used in veterinary medicine: euthasol, a narcotic that is used to euthanize animals, and dexamethasone, a steroid.

Rio Rancho Police charged Clopton with 19 violations in Rio Rancho, according to Rio Rancho Police Sgt. Nicholas Onken. The Rio Rancho Police Department can request to transport Clopton to Rio Rancho to face charges, Pacheco said.