An Illinois oral surgeon who is accused of siphoning fentanyl from vials, mixing in saline, and giving the combination to patients, leaving some in pain so he could use it for himself, has pleaded guilty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Dr. Phillip Jensen, who owned and operated his own practice in Springfield, IL, pleaded guilty on August 2 to two counts of drug diversion, two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of false statements relating to healthcare matters, according to a press release dated August 8 from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois.
Starting around December 2019 and continuing through at least August 2020, Jensen allegedly took fentanyl sent to his office, removed the safety caps, withdrew at least half of the fentanyl in the single-use vial, refilled it with saline, and glued the caps back to conceal any tampering. In total, the 63-year-old oral surgeon obtained more than 40 grams of fentanyl for his personal use, according to the release.
His surgical assistants became suspicious when they noticed patients moaning, moving, and noticed changes in patients' blood pressure levels and heart rates, indicating they were in pain during surgeries. In one instance, a patient awoke during surgery and was reportedly struck in the forehead by Jensen. The patient endured the extraction of three teeth and the smoothing of her jawbone without the benefit of anesthesia and the fentanyl that was supposed to manage her pain. These events led to Jensen admitting that he had stolen fentanyl from the vials, according to the release.
Additionally, Jensen purportedly made materially false entries in medical records regarding the fentanyl provided during the surgery of two patients. Molina Healthcare of Illinois paid Jensen $13,137 for the two procedures.
In February 2022, a U.S. grand jury indicted Jensen on these charges. Originally, the oral surgeon was released on bond but was detained in July 2024 for violating the terms and conditions of his bond and pretrial release, according to the press release.
Jensen faces a possible maximum sentence of 78 years in prison, up to a $1.7 million fine, and up to 21 years of supervised release. The oral surgeon remains in custody awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for December.
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