Dentist Arrested for Adulterating Fentanyl, Patient Injured

An Illinois dentist has been arrested, accused of removing portions of fentanyl from his patients’ anesthesia and hoarding it for “personal use,” prosecutors say. Phillip Jensen, 61, of Rochester, Illinois, was taken into custody Monday, on a slew of charges including acquiring a controlled substance by fraud. Jensen, who served the Springfield-area and was authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to dispense controlled substances, allegedly adulterated the fentanyl he was supposed to use as anesthesia for his patients during surgeries starting as early as December 2019 into at least August 2020.

Before surgeries, Jensen allegedly pierced the fentanyl vials, removed half the fentanyl then refilled the vials with another solution. He “administered the adulterated fentanyl, which was now at half its labeled strength, to his patients.” The portion he removed, he “set aside for his personal use,” prosecutors said.  On one occasion when Jenson administered the tampered fentanyl to a patient, it “resulted in serious bodily injury to that patient.” The indictment also accuses Jensen of acquiring fentanyl by fraud for obtaining the drug from the vials and concealing the removal by refilling it with another substance and replacing the safety caps.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Phillip Jensen, DMD, 61, of Rochester, Illinois, on February 1, 2022, charging him with eight counts of drug diversion, eight counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products, and three counts of false statements related to health care matters. If convicted, the statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment for drug diversion, up to four years’ imprisonment for acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, up to twenty years’ imprisonment for tampering with consumer products, and up to five years’ imprisonment for a false statement related to health care matters.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.