John Jefferson
The former dental practice of Phillip M. Jensen in Springfield, Ill. (Google Maps).
An Illinois dentist who admitted to stealing pain medication from his surgical patients, including anesthesia during painful procedures, was slapped with a prison sentence after he pleaded guilty.
Phillip M. Jensen, 64, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a $200,000 fine on Dec. 18 during a sentencing hearing at the U.S. District Court in Central Illinois where several of his former patients faced him in person. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois, Jensen admitted to stealing fentanyl that was meant for his patients, diluting medications, and making false statements on medical records.
The accusations began in December 2019, when other staff members at Jensen’s oral and maxillofacial surgical practice in Springfield noticed that his patients were “moving, moaning, and otherwise showing signs of pain and distress during surgery.” Jensen later admitted that he regularly stole fentanyl from his own office, opening the safety caps of vials of the painkiller and diluting them with saline to make them appear full. He’d then glue the caps back on to make them appear sealed. In medical records, Jensen falsely stated that patients were given the full dosage.
Approximately 99 patients were identified as having suffered as a result of Jensen’s actions. The mother of one child patient said at the sentencing hearing that after going through a surgical procedure performed by Jensen, the child was crying and stated that they “felt everything.” Another instance presented as evidence against Jensen was one woman who started to wake up during surgery, so Jensen “struck the patient in the head with an instrument and completed the surgery, which involved the extraction of multiple teeth as well as the shaping and smoothing of the bones in her jaw, while she was conscious and lacking pain management.”
The government also presented evidence that Jensen allegedly had a long history of drug addiction, including attempts at rehabilitation, and his choice to take advantage of his own patients and position to obtain drugs that were meant to treat legitimate medical conditions. On top of denying his patients the care they needed, he took steps to cover up what he did. In the end, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless stated, he made a profit from his lies.
Jensen was originally indicted in 2022, the same year he had his medical license suspended. He was charged with 20 felony counts and released on bond. He was detained by U.S. Marshalls in July 2024 after he allegedly “stalked and harassed a potential witness.” He pleaded guilty in August 2024 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 health care matters.
In addition to the prison sentence and fine, Jensen was also ordered to repay the government for the costs of an expert witness.
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