Doctor Pleads Guilty in Connection to Matthew Perry’s Fatal Ketamine Overdose, Sentencing Set

A doctor who admitted to distributing ketamine to Friends star Matthew Perry weeks before his tragic death is set to be sentenced this Wednesday. Salvador Plasencia, who operated an urgent care clinic in Malibu, pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distributing the powerful anesthetic drug. His conviction marks the first sentencing among the five individuals charged in connection with Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023.

Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. An autopsy confirmed that he died from the acute effects of ketamine. Plasencia is one of two doctors convicted of providing Perry with ketamine, which contributed to the actor’s untimely death.

Plea Deal and Possible Sentencing

Plasencia had been scheduled to go on trial in August but reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of distribution of ketamine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time on Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court.

In a filing ahead of the sentencing, government prosecutors argued that Plasencia had “exploited Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.” They cited text messages in which Plasencia made derogatory comments about Perry, including saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” indicating a profit-driven motive behind his actions.

However, Plasencia’s defense attorneys have urged the court for a more lenient sentence. They suggested that he should receive only a day of credit for time already served, along with three years of supervised release. His legal team contends that Plasencia has already faced significant personal and professional consequences, including the loss of his medical license and clinic, as well as widespread media scrutiny.

A Reckless Treatment of Perry

Plasencia’s defense further highlighted the tragic nature of his actions, describing the treatment of Perry as “the biggest mistake of his life.” His attorneys noted that Plasencia had acted recklessly, administering ketamine to Perry without fully understanding the actor’s medical history or addiction struggles. They also emphasized that Plasencia was not responsible for the ketamine dose that ultimately killed Perry, pointing out that he did not provide the fatal dose administered by others.

Despite these claims, prosecutors argue that Plasencia’s actions—distributing ketamine without proper oversight—directly contributed to Perry’s overdose and death. “Even after defendant saw Mr. Perry suffer an adverse reaction to a ketamine shot, he still offered to sell Perry more,” prosecutors stated in their sentencing brief.

The Chain of Distribution

Plasencia was introduced to Perry by one of his patients on September 30, 2023. The patient reportedly described Perry as a “high-profile person” willing to pay large sums for ketamine treatment. This led to a series of transactions in which Plasencia provided Perry with vials of ketamine, lozenges, and syringes.

Throughout the month of October 2023, Plasencia administered ketamine to Perry on multiple occasions, sometimes receiving payments of up to $12,000 per visit. On October 12, 2023, Plasencia left additional ketamine vials with Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who later administered the drug to Perry the day before his death.

Plasencia’s defense maintains that he was not responsible for the ketamine that directly caused Perry’s fatal overdose, but prosecutors argue that his decision to continue supplying the drug, even after seeing negative reactions from Perry, was both reckless and negligent.

The Larger Ketamine Distribution Network

Plasencia is not the only individual implicated in the tragic chain of events leading to Perry’s death. Four other people have been convicted in connection with the ketamine distribution, including Iwamasa, who admitted to administering the drug to Perry on the day he died. Iwamasa is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2026, while Plasencia’s former mentor, Mark Chavez, is set to face sentencing in December 2024.

Other defendants, including Erik Fleming and Jasveen Sangha—also known as “The Ketamine Queen”—are expected to receive lengthy prison sentences. Sangha faces a potential 65 years in prison, while Fleming could be sentenced to up to 25 years for his role in distributing the fatal dose.

A Stark Reminder of Addiction’s Toll

The case underscores the tragic consequences of prescription drug abuse, particularly the use of ketamine, which is often abused for its dissociative effects. Plasencia’s case serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with prescribing and distributing such powerful substances without proper oversight.

While Plasencia’s legal team hopes for leniency, prosecutors are seeking a firm sentence to reflect the gravity of his role in Perry’s death. The upcoming sentencing marks a significant step in the legal aftermath of Perry’s overdose, but with multiple defendants still awaiting sentencing, the case is far from over.