Doctor Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Connection with Matthew Perry Death

McKoys News | 2025-12-05 | Original Article

LOS ANGELES, California — A U.S. federal judge has sentenced Dr. Salvador Plasencia to 2.5 years in prison for illegally supplying ketamine to late actor Matthew Perry, whose death shocked fans worldwide.

 

Plasencia, 54, was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release and pay a US$5,600 fine following his conviction on four felony counts of ketamine distribution. Prosecutors said the doctor supplied the drug to Perry in the weeks before the actor’s fatal overdose on October 28, 2023.

 

Authorities say Perry, famed for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends,” had turned to Plasencia after his regular physician refused to provide additional ketamine. Court documents indicate that the doctor supplied multiple doses at Perry’s home and even in a parked car, contributing to the actor’s substance dependency.

 

According to prosecutors, Plasencia’s conduct was reckless, even though he did not directly administer the fatal dose. Text messages submitted in court showed the doctor disparaging Perry and referring to him as a “moron” who could be exploited.

 

The sentencing followed Plasencia’s guilty plea in July 2025. Prosecutors had initially sought a three-year prison term, while a trial could have resulted in a sentence of up to 40 years.

 

The judge noted that while Plasencia did not directly cause Perry’s death, he “helped Mr. Perry stay on the road to such an ending” by supplying the powerful anesthetic.

 

Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home. The medical examiner ruled that his death was due to the acute effects of ketamine, leading to loss of consciousness and drowning.

 

The case has sparked renewed discussion about the illegal distribution of controlled substances and the role of medical professionals in substance abuse deaths.