Doctor accused of supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry agrees to plead guilty to four federal charges related to the actor’s 2023 death.
One of the five individuals accused in the federal investigation surrounding the death of Friends star Matthew Perry has officially agreed to plead guilty.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a Santa Monica-based physician, will plead guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution, according to a plea agreement filed Monday. The case stems from Matthew Perry’s death in October 2023, which was ruled an accident caused by the “acute effects” of ketamine, followed by drowning. The actor was 54 years old when he was found floating face down in the hot tub of his Pacific Palisades home.
According to prosecutors, Plasencia played a direct role in the underground network that allegedly supplied the powerful anesthetic to Matthew Perry. The plea deal reveals that between September 30 and October 12, 2023, Plasencia sold “twenty 5ml vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes” to Matthew Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
Plasencia admitted to working with another defendant, Dr. Mark Chavez, who had previously pleaded guilty. The plea documents also highlight disturbing texts from Plasencia, including a September 2023 message that read, “I wonder how much this moron will pay?” Prosecutors say Plasencia expressed interest in becoming Matthew Perry’s exclusive supplier.
Originally, Plasencia faced a slew of charges including one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of ketamine distribution, and two counts related to falsifying documents tied to the investigation.
Now, by pleading guilty to four of those distribution charges, Plasencia faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine (or twice the financial gain or loss involved), three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $400 special assessment.
His trial, which had been scheduled for August alongside alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, is now expected to be avoided as Plasencia enters his plea in the coming weeks.
CNN reports that attempts to reach Plasencia’s legal team for comment have been made.
Matthew Perry’s tragic death shocked Hollywood and fans of Friends worldwide. As more individuals involved in the case plead guilty, prosecutors continue to unravel the web of illegal drug activity linked to the actor’s untimely passing.
