2 Women Helped Bergen County Doctor Prescribe 20,000 Opioids Improperly: Prosecutors

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Two North Jersey women pleaded guilty this week to working with a doctor in Bergen County to prescribe opioids without a medical purpose, said federal prosecutors.

Jasmine McGregor, 32, and Jhanelle Lewis, 35, both of Paterson, each pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in

Newark federal court to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring and agreeing with others — including Dr. Lisa Ferraro, of Hillsdale —to distribute oxycodone, an opioid and a controlled substance, said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger's office Thursday.

It was prescribed "outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose," Sellinger's office.

Dr. Ferraro has been charged with the same offense but has not yet entered a plea, the office said.

According to court documents, statements made in court, and the U.S. Attorney's Office press release:

McGregor and Lewis each participated in a conspiracy with Ferraro to prescribe oxycodone, an opioid pain medication, to people who were not actually Ferraro’s patients and whom Ferraro never physically examined or questioned about symptoms.

McGregor conspired with Ferraro from July 2022 to Oct. 3, 2023, and Lewis conspired with Ferraro from January 2019 to September 2023, prosecutors alleged.

Over the course of the conspiracy with McGregor, Ferraro wrote prescriptions for approximately 630 20mg oxycodone pills and approximately 11,410 30mg oxycodone pills, prosecutors said.

With Lewis, Ferraro wrote prescriptions for approximately 9,450 30mg oxycodone pills, prosecutors said.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances to which McGregor and Lewis pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Sentencing hearings are scheduled for McGregor on Nov. 20, 2024, and Lewis on Dec. 9, 2024, prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation.