Doctor Who Illegally Sold Matthew Perry Ketamine Is Sentenced To Prison

The Los Angeles doctor who illegally supplied ketamine to Matthew Perry in the months leading up to the actor's fatal overdose has now been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The ruling brings a major development in a case that has drawn attention since Perry’s sudden death.

Perry, who was 54 at the time of his passing in 2023, died from the acute effects of ketamine. He had publicly shared his long struggle with addiction over the years, and his death revived conversation about how deeply those challenges affected him throughout his life.

The Friends actor had been using ketamine as part of a mental-health treatment plan, yet when his regular medical providers refused to give him the large quantities he sought, he turned instead to Dr. Salvador Plasencia. This decision set off a chain of events that eventually played a role in the tragedy.

According to federal investigators, Plasencia obtained ketamine for Perry through illegal channels, and in the period before his death, Perry had begun injecting the drug between six and eight times a day. The frequency highlighted how quickly things had escalated.

Five individuals have now faced criminal charges connected to the actor’s death, and each has entered a guilty plea. Among them is another physician, Mark Chavez, who admitted to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, and Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.

Another defendant, Erik Fleming, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. A fourth individual, drug dealer Jasveen Sangha—known as the “Ketamine Queen”—accepted five charges, including a count tied to distributing ketamine that caused death or bodily harm.

Dr Salvador Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Plasencia, now 44, became the first among the five defendants to receive his sentence on Wednesday (December 3), marking a turning point in the long investigation.

Prosecutors described the physician as “a drug dealer in a white coat,” arguing that he used his medical role to mask what was, in effect, an illegal drug operation.

Court evidence also revealed a text message Plasencia sent to Chavez while attempting to obtain ketamine for Perry. In the message, he wrote: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

Perry’s mother, Suzanne, shared her heartbreak in court, saying: "I knew how addicted he was year after year. But he survived it all only to be handed stuff and called a moron. There was nothing moronic about him."

During the sentencing hearing, the judge stressed that although Plasencia did not supply the specific dose that killed Perry, he had still played a significant part in creating the dangerous situation that led to the actor’s death. The court made it clear that his actions carried real and lasting consequences.

"You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction," she said.

"You exploited Mr Perry's addiction for your own profit."

As the hearing continued, Plasencia addressed the court while crying, telling the judge: "I should have protected him. I have to accept responsibility." His statement showed how heavily the case now weighed on him.

He was given a custodial sentence after entering a guilty plea in June to four separate counts involving the unlawful supply of ketamine.

Matthew Perry died from a Ketamine overdose back in October 2023 Walter McBride/FilmMagic

With the ruling in place, he will now serve a 30-month sentence in federal prison. The court’s decision brought mixed emotions for many involved, especially Perry’s family.

The actor’s two half-sisters delivered emotional victim impact statements before the sentence was handed down. One of the most powerful came from his sister, Madeleine Morrison, who spoke through tears while describing the loss they continue to feel.

"The world mourns my brother," she said. "He was everyone's favorite friend."

The remaining defendants charged in connection with Perry’s death are scheduled to receive their sentences in separate hearings over the upcoming months, and those outcomes are expected to draw significant public interest as well.