Doctor Pleads Guilty to Selling Ketamine to Matthew Perry Before Actor's Overdose Death
Dr. Salvador Plasencia admits to distributing ketamine to the 'Friends' star in the month leading up to his death.
LOS ANGELES: In a significant development related to the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, a doctor has pleaded guilty to providing the late star with ketamine in the weeks leading up to his demise.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who was set to stand trial in August, changed his plea to guilty last month, admitting to four counts of distributing the drug.Plasencia's guilty plea marks the fourth such admission by one of the five individuals charged in connection with Perry's death.
His plea agreement, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, details that Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine totaling 100 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes over a month period before Perry's death on October 28, 2023.The doctor has been free on bond since his arrest in August and is expected to face sentencing on December 3.
The charges he faces carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
However, given the context of his plea deal, it is less likely that he will receive the full extent of this sentence.Plasencia's actions were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of supplying Perry with ketamine, which had been prescribed to the actor for an off-label treatment for depression.
According to court filings, Plasencia enlisted another doctor, Mark Chavez, to supply the drug after connecting him with Perry through a mutual patient.Communications between Plasencia and Chavez, as outlined in court documents, reveal that they viewed Perry as a lucrative source of income.
In one text message, Plasencia referred to Perry as a "moron" who could be exploited for money, further underscoring the motivations behind their actions.Perry's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, discovered the actor's lifeless body after administering what is believed to be a lethal dose of ketamine.
The medical examiner concluded that the primary cause of death was indeed ketamine poisoning.This case has shed light on the dangers of off-label prescribing and the vulnerabilities associated with mixing powerful anesthetics like ketamine for non-medical purposes.
Perry's history with addiction, which dated back to his "Friends" days, further complicates the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.As investigations continue into the roles of other parties involved, including alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, who is set to stand trial next month and has pleaded not guilty, the legal proceedings underscore the broader implications for public health and safety.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who was set to stand trial in August, changed his plea to guilty last month, admitting to four counts of distributing the drug.Plasencia's guilty plea marks the fourth such admission by one of the five individuals charged in connection with Perry's death.
His plea agreement, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, details that Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine totaling 100 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes over a month period before Perry's death on October 28, 2023.The doctor has been free on bond since his arrest in August and is expected to face sentencing on December 3.
The charges he faces carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
However, given the context of his plea deal, it is less likely that he will receive the full extent of this sentence.Plasencia's actions were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of supplying Perry with ketamine, which had been prescribed to the actor for an off-label treatment for depression.
According to court filings, Plasencia enlisted another doctor, Mark Chavez, to supply the drug after connecting him with Perry through a mutual patient.Communications between Plasencia and Chavez, as outlined in court documents, reveal that they viewed Perry as a lucrative source of income.
In one text message, Plasencia referred to Perry as a "moron" who could be exploited for money, further underscoring the motivations behind their actions.Perry's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, discovered the actor's lifeless body after administering what is believed to be a lethal dose of ketamine.
The medical examiner concluded that the primary cause of death was indeed ketamine poisoning.This case has shed light on the dangers of off-label prescribing and the vulnerabilities associated with mixing powerful anesthetics like ketamine for non-medical purposes.
Perry's history with addiction, which dated back to his "Friends" days, further complicates the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.As investigations continue into the roles of other parties involved, including alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, who is set to stand trial next month and has pleaded not guilty, the legal proceedings underscore the broader implications for public health and safety.
