A doctor has been sentenced for his involvement in the overdose of popular actor Matthew Perry, known for his role in “Friends.” Dr. Salvador Plasencia, aged 43, received a prison term of two and a half years. This ruling came from a Los Angeles Federal Court on Wednesday, following Perry’s tragic overdose on October 28, 2023, attributed to ketamine supplied by Plasencia.
He is the first among five defendants in this case, which includes others like drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, who has also accepted plea deals.
After the circumstances of Perry’s death were revealed, Plasencia relinquished his medical license. He later admitted guilt to four counts of ketamine distribution, with prosecutors dropping five additional charges as part of his plea agreement.
Plasencia did not directly administer the fatal dose but, as Perry’s assistants made observations of alarming symptoms after he received medication, he nonetheless continued to leave drugs for the actor’s assistant to inject.
On Tuesday, statements from Perry’s family were presented in court, with his mother and stepfather expressing that Plasencia bore the greatest responsibility. They emphasized how he took advantage of Perry’s vulnerabilities, highlighting his callous question about how much money he could gain from the situation.
Perry’s biological father and stepmother also urged the judge for a harsher sentence, emphasizing the impact of Plasencia’s actions on their family.
According to prosecutors, when Plasencia was informed of Perry’s search for ketamine, he chose to exploit the actor’s medical need for profit instead of acting in Perry’s best interest.
Despite lacking experience with ketamine therapy, Plasencia reportedly remarked to a colleague about the potential financial gain from Perry’s requests for the drug.
He was found to be supplying numerous vials of ketamine to Perry, who was already under the impression that his assistant was capable of properly administering the injections.
While federal guidelines allowed for a much harsher sentence of up to 40 years, Plasencia’s defense attorney argued that he had already faced significant consequences, including losing his medical career and experiencing threats to his family. There’s an implication that this situation required no further punishment.
Perry had been using ketamine off-label for depression, but in his desperation, sought larger quantities than his regular doctors would provide.
Through connections, his need led to Plasencia, who supplied Perry with 20 vials that cost the actor $4,500 in total. Plasencia also worked with his mentor, Dr. Mark Chavez, helping Perry obtain additional drugs.
As events unfolded, Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” admitted to giving Perry the dose that led to his passing. She is scheduled for sentencing next week.
Just days before his death, Perry acquired more ketamine from Sangha, who advised deleting any correspondence about their transactions after the tragedy occurred.
Perry, renowned as one of the leading TV stars of his era, struggled with addiction throughout much of his life, particularly during his time on “Friends,” which aired from 1994 to 2004. His co-stars included Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.
