A California physician has pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the weeks before the “Friends” star was found dead at his Los Angeles home last year.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 43, pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. He is the fourth individual charged in connection with the late actor’s overdose to accept a plea deal.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, though sentencing guidelines and cooperation with authorities may result in a reduced term. He remains free on bond until his sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 3.
Plasencia entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, briefly answering the court’s questions while standing alongside his attorney. As part of the agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three additional drug distribution charges and two counts of falsifying records.
“Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry,” attorney Debra White said in a statement provided to media outlets. “He is fully accepting responsibility by pleading guilty to drug distribution. Dr. Plasencia intends to voluntarily surrender his medical license, acknowledging his failure to protect Mr. Perry, a patient who was especially vulnerable due to addiction.”
According to court documents, Plasencia provided Perry with 20 vials of ketamine—totaling 100 milligrams—along with lozenges and syringes starting approximately one month prior to the actor’s death.
Although prosecutors stated that Plasencia was not the source of the dose that ultimately killed Mr. Perry, they described conduct that included administering the drug directly and leaving doses with the actor’s assistant.
During one such visit, prosecutors said Perry experienced adverse effects, including a spike in blood pressure and physical immobility, yet the doctor still left additional ketamine behind. In communications cited in court filings, Plasencia allegedly discussed exploiting the actor financially.
Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC sitcom “Friends,” had publicly struggled with substance abuse for decades. He was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, 2023. A medical examiner determined that the primary cause of death was the acute effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic used legally in some depression treatments that can be subject to misuse.
The investigation has resulted in multiple plea deals. Three individuals—including Perry’s personal assistant, a friend, and another physician—have already agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The only remaining defendant, Jasveen Sangha, allegedly a drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” is accused of supplying the lethal dose. She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to face trial next month.
While Plasencia was not treating Perry at the time of his death, his attorney expressed hope that the case will prompt reforms in the at-home ketamine treatment industry, which has grown rapidly in recent years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
