A Southern California physician accused of supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry in the weeks before the actor’s fatal overdose has agreed to plead guilty to federal drug charges, authorities announced Monday.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia faces up to 40 years in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California.

The plea is expected to be formally entered in the coming weeks, ending a case that has drawn national attention since Perry’s death last October, which the Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled was caused by acute ketamine toxicity.

Plasencia was one of five people charged in connection with the 54-year-old actor’s death. According to court documents, he was a primary target of the investigation, along with Jasveen Sangha, who prosecutors allege was a major ketamine dealer.

Sangha, the only defendant to plead not guilty, remains in custody awaiting trial, while three others—including Dr. Mark Chavez, Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and Perry’s friend Erik Fleming—have already agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Court filings reveal that Plasencia referred to Perry in disparaging terms, calling him a “moron” in a text message to co-defendant Chavez. “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted Chavez, according to Chavez’s plea agreement.

Prosecutors say Plasencia and Chavez met in Costa Mesa to exchange at least four vials of ketamine, which Plasencia then sold to Perry for $4,500. Plasencia later asked Chavez if he could continue supplying the drug so they could become Perry’s “go-to.”

Plasencia initially administered ketamine to Perry himself at the actor’s home, later instructing Iwamasa on how to inject the drug, according to court filings. Iwamasa, who has also pleaded guilty, subsequently became the point of contact for Plasencia, according to his plea agreement.

An email to Plasencia’s attorney from NTD News seeking comment was not immediately answered.

Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC hit series “Friends,” had a long history of addiction, which he chronicled in his memoirs. He began using alcohol at age 14 and later became addicted to opioid painkillers following a jet ski accident, according to his mother, Suzanne Morrison.

In an Oct. 25, 2024, interview with Today, Morrison recalled a moment with her son shortly before his death: “Just before he died, he was showing me one of his new houses. He came up to me and said, ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to be with you now.’”

She described the moment as feeling like a “premonition,” adding, “He said, ‘I’m not frightened any more’—and it worried me.”

Perry’s use of ketamine was initially under medical supervision as an off-label treatment for depression, a practice that has become more common in recent years. However, after his regular doctor refused to increase his dosage, Perry sought out Plasencia, who prosecutors say was willing to supply the drug through illicit means.

Since the actor’s death, his family has established The Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting people recovering from addiction.

Caitlin Morrison, Perry’s step-sister and the foundation’s executive director, said in an August 2024 interview with Hello! Canada, “It kind of feels like I’m sitting right next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him.”

Perry’s legacy as a beloved actor and outspoken advocate for addiction recovery continues to resonate with fans and those he inspired. “He had this ability to fill up a room with light,” Caitlin Morrison said. “Everybody just had a smile on their face, and they clung to everything that he said.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News