Matthew Perry doctor jailed for supplying ketamine to tragic actor
A Los Angeles doctor who admitted to illegally selling ketamine to Matthew Perry in the weeks before the actor’s fatal overdose has been jailed.
A physician who admitted to supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry shortly before the actor’s fatal overdose was sentenced on Wednesday to two and a half years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett delivered the sentence to 44-year-old Dr. Salvador Plasencia in a Los Angeles courtroom, also ordering two years of supervised release. He is the first of five defendants to be sentenced after pleading guilty in connection with Perry’s 2023 death at age 54.
Plasencia acknowledged that he illegally sold large quantities of ketamine to Perry, knowing the actor was battling addiction. Court filings show he texted another doctor calling Perry a “moron” who could be financially exploited.
Authorities have not accused Plasencia of providing the dose that killed the “Friends” star.
Prosecutors argued that the doctor knowingly preyed on a vulnerable patient, writing in their sentencing memo: “Rather than act in Mr. Perry’s best interest, the defendant exploited his medical vulnerabilities for profit.”
Plasencia’s attorneys portrayed him as a once-respected physician who made a “reckless” decision that destroyed his career and reputation. They described his remorse as profound and said he has moved to Arizona with his wife and toddler after receiving threats.
Perry’s family, including his mother Suzanne Perry and stepfather Keith Morrison, attended the hearing and may address the court.
Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distributing ketamine. He faces a maximum of 40 years, though the plea agreement carried no sentencing guarantee. The four remaining defendants are expected to be sentenced in the coming months.
Perry’s long struggle with addiction stretched back to his years starring as Chandler Bing on Friends , where he became one of television’s most recognisable comedic actors.
