By: Richard L. Smith
A Paterson-area physician has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for conspiring to illegally distribute opioid medications without a legitimate medical purpose, federal authorities announced.
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello said 67-year-old Lisa Ferraro of Hillsdale was sentenced to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute oxycodone outside the usual course of professional medical practice.
Ferraro entered her guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring with others to unlawfully distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.
According to court filings and statements made during the proceedings, Ferraro practiced internal medicine in Paterson until her arrest in October 2023.
From January 2019 through September 23, 2023, prosecutors said she participated in a scheme to prescribe oxycodone to individuals who posed as patients but were never physically examined or properly evaluated to determine whether there was a legitimate medical need for the medication.
Authorities said Ferraro routinely issued prescriptions without conducting medical examinations or questioning patients about symptoms.
Over the course of the conspiracy, she wrote prescriptions for tens of thousands of oxycodone pills, many at the high dosage of 30 milligrams.
In announcing the sentence, Lamparello emphasized the seriousness of the offense, stating that physicians hold a unique position of trust and responsibility, and that abusing that trust to fuel opioid addiction causes harm far beyond individual patients.
Federal officials said the sentence reflects the gravity of the conduct and serves as a warning that medical credentials do not protect individuals who violate federal drug laws.