A former California physician, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 months in federal prison for illegally distributing large quantities of ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the weeks before his fatal overdose in 2023.
The sentencing marks the first major judicial resolution in the complex criminal investigation into the death of the Friends star. U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett emphasized that Dr. Plasencia had exploited Perry’s addiction for profit, despite knowing the actor’s long history of substance abuse and the severe risks of the powerful sedative.
The Crime: Trading Trust for Cash
Dr. Plasencia, 44, known as “Dr. P” in court documents, pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distributing ketamine. Though prosecutors did not accuse him of supplying the specific dose that ultimately killed Perry, he admitted to repeatedly selling the controlled substance to the actor without a legitimate medical purpose.
- The Transaction: Court documents revealed Plasencia, who ran an urgent care clinic, was introduced to Perry in September 2023 and quickly agreed to sell him large amounts of ketamine outside of a controlled treatment setting, often for thousands of dollars in cash.
- A Failure to Protect: In their sentencing memorandum, prosecutors argued that Plasencia’s actions were driven by greed: “Rather than do what was best for Mr. Perry—someone who had struggled with addiction for most of his life—[Plasencia] sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.”
- The Judge’s Rebuke: During the sentencing, Judge Garnett told Plasencia, “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.”
Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, and his stepfather, Dateline journalist Keith Morrison, submitted a joint victim impact statement calling Plasencia “among the most culpable of all” who preyed on their son’s vulnerability.
‘I Failed Mr. Perry’
Appearing in federal court, Dr. Plasencia broke down while addressing the family of the late actor. “I failed Mr. Perry—I failed him, I failed his family,” he said. “I’m just so sorry.”
As part of his plea agreement, Plasencia surrendered his California medical license in September. In addition to the 2.5-year prison sentence, he was immediately remanded to federal custody and ordered to pay a $5,600 fine.
Dr. Plasencia’s lawyers argued that he was not a “villain” but a man who made “serious mistakes” regarding the off-label use of ketamine, a drug commonly used for depression.
The sentencing is a pivotal moment in the ongoing federal investigation, which charges five individuals in connection with the actor’s death. The remaining defendants, including Jasveen Sangha, the woman prosecutors allege supplied the fatal dose of ketamine, are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.