A California doctor was sentenced Wednesday (Dec. 3) to two and a half years in prison for illegally supplying late “Friends” star Matthew Perry with ketamine, the powerful sedative linked to the actor’s 2023 overdose death.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who operated an urgent care clinic near Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four counts of illegal distribution of ketamine.
He was not charged with giving the exact dose that killed Perry on October 28, 2023.
Exploiting a vulnerability for profit
Prosecutors emphasized that Perry, who took ketamine legally for depression, turned to Plasencia after his regular doctor refused to provide the amounts he wanted. Court filings reveal that Plasencia knew Perry was struggling with addiction and exploited his vulnerabilities.
Plasencia allegedly texted another doctor who called Perry a “moron” who could be used for money.
The prosecution’s memorandum stated, “Rather than doing what was best for Mr. Perry — someone who has struggled with addiction for most of his life — the defendant sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.”
The defense is asking for leniency
Plasencia’s lawyers painted a sympathetic portrait of the doctor, noting that he rose from poverty and was loved by his patients, some of whom gave testimony in court.
The defense acknowledged the illegal sale as “reckless” and the biggest mistake of his life: “Remorse cannot begin to capture the pain, regret and shame that Mr. Plasencia feels for the tragedy that occurred and that he was unable to prevent,” the memo said.
They argued that prison was unnecessary, noting, “He has already lost his medical license, clinic and career. He has also been viciously attacked in the media and threatened by strangers to the point that his family has moved out of state for their safety.”
Plea agreement
Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts, while prosecutors dropped five others. The plea agreement did not guarantee a specific sentence, so the possibility of a much longer term was legally open.
The Perry family attends the hearing
Matthew Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, and stepfather, “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison, attended the sentencing hearing Wednesday.
Other co-defendants who have pleaded guilty are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.
Remembering Matthew Perry
Perry, who has died aged 54, struggled with addiction for years, starting when he was a star on Friends. He rose to international fame as Chandler Bing, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer on the NBC hit show from 1994 to 2004.
