U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris | U.S. Department of Justice
A dentist from Rochester, Illinois, Phillip M. Jensen, aged 64, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on December 18, 2024. Jensen was found guilty of stealing fentanyl from patients and performing surgeries without adequate pain management. He was also fined $200,000.
Jensen had pleaded guilty in August 2024 to charges including drug diversion, acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, tampering with consumer products resulting in serious injury, and making false statements related to health care.
Before his license suspension in 2022, Jensen specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He began misappropriating fentanyl from patients as early as December 2019. Staff noticed patients showing signs of distress during surgeries, which led to the discovery of his actions.
Jensen admitted to taking at least half the fentanyl from each vial for personal use. He replaced it with saline and falsified surgical records to cover his tracks. This allowed him to bill insurance companies using these falsified records.
During the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, evidence was presented regarding Jensen's history with addiction and the impact on patients who received adulterated drugs. Testimonies included a mother recounting her child's distress post-surgery and another patient who was struck by Jensen after waking up during a procedure.
Judge Lawless rejected Jensen’s claim that he was less culpable than an average drug dealer. She emphasized that unlike typical dealers, Jensen's victims were unaware they were receiving diluted drugs. She remarked on the breach of trust inherent in his actions: “If you cannot trust your doctor, who can you trust?”
Initially indicted on twenty felony counts by a federal grand jury in February 2022, Jensen violated bond conditions by harassing a potential witness in July 2024 and has been detained since then.
In addition to imprisonment and fines, Judge Lawless ordered repayment for expert witness costs incurred by the government due to this case. Consequently, Jensen lost his medical license.
U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris commented on the case: “This case represents the commitment of the Department of Justice...to protect and defend the public from those that would prey upon them.” Ronne Malham of the FDA emphasized continued investigations against healthcare professionals tampering with medications: “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique medical positions.”
Sheila Lyons from the DEA reiterated accountability for medical professionals violating their oaths: “The DEA will continue working to keep Illinois families safe.”
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, FDA, and Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The prosecution team consisted of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Sierra Senor-Moore.
