Doctor Pleads Guilty in Connection with Matthew Perry’s Death

A doctor accused of unlawfully supplying ketamine to actor Matthew Perry, who passed away in October 2023, has entered a guilty plea on four counts of ketamine distribution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced on Wednesday that Dr. Salvador Plasencia faces a potential maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison for each count, with a sentencing hearing set for December 3rd.

Currently, Plasencia is out on bond and plans to voluntarily surrender his medical license in the coming weeks, according to his legal team.

Plasencia is among five individuals charged in relation to Perry’s death. In October 2024, another doctor, Mark Chavez, admitted to illegally providing ketamine to Perry in exchange for cash payments.

Perry was discovered unresponsive in the jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. The postmortem report indicated that he died from acute ketamine effects.

According to the Oxford Treatment Center, “Though deaths from ketamine overdose are relatively rare when used alone, risks increase significantly with other substances that affect breathing, such as alcohol or sedatives.” This means that using substances together can intensify their effects and risks, leading to serious health issues.

The Justice Department also suspects Chavez was connected to an illicit network that exploited Perry by unlawfully selling him ketamine.

Prosecutors reported that Chavez, aged 54, acknowledged providing ketamine to Plasencia while knowing that Perry, who struggled with ketamine addiction, would buy it.

In total, Plasencia could face a maximum of 40 years in prison, with additional penalties including three years of supervised release, fines up to $2 million or double the gross gain/loss from his offenses, and a mandatory special assessment of $400.

Ketamine, which is a general anesthetic and has both analgesic and hallucinogenic effects, is sometimes used by individuals seeking relief when traditional antidepressants have failed. Although it can alleviate suicidal thoughts in some cases, it also carries risks, such as paranoia, fear, disorientation, and even bladder issues.

Possessing ketamine without legitimate medical reasons can lead to significant consequences, like:

• Fines
• Criminal charges
• Jail time
• Loss of driving privileges or job prospects

While some clinics offer regulated ketamine therapy for mental health issues, it must be supervised by licensed professionals. Purchasing ketamine online, on the street, or using it outside a professional setting is illegal.