A doctor who admitted to illegally supplying the anaesthetic ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the lead-up to his death has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
First Sentencing in Connection with Star's Death
Salvador Plasencia, who ran an urgent-care clinic near Los Angeles, is the first of five individuals to be sentenced in relation to the passing of the Friends icon. Perry was discovered drowned in his hot tub in October 2023, with ketamine a contributing factor in his death.
Plasencia, who has since lost his medical licence, initially denied the charges but changed his plea earlier this year. He admitted to four counts of distributing the controlled substance. Had he been convicted at trial, he could have faced a prison term of up to 40 years.
'Exploiting Medical Vulnerability for Profit'
While Plasencia was not accused of providing the specific dose that killed Perry, prosecutors detailed how he had been supplying the surgical anaesthetic to the actor in the weeks prior. Perry had been receiving ketamine legally under supervision for depression treatment but began seeking it illicitly.
Court documents revealed a text message sent by the 44-year-old doctor to another medic also awaiting sentencing, which read: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."
In a sentencing memo, the prosecution argued that "rather than do what was best for Mr Perry... defendant sought to exploit Perry's medical vulnerability for profit." Plasencia's own lawyers described his conduct ahead of the hearing as "reckless" and the "biggest mistake" of his life.
Family's Devastating Victim Impact Statements
Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, and stepfather, Keith Morrison, delivered powerful statements in court. They characterised those who illegally supplied drugs to their son as "jackals" and said they believed Plasencia to be "among the most culpable of all."
"No one alive and in touch with the world at all could have been unaware of Matthew's struggles," they stated. "But this doctor conspired to break his most important vows, repeatedly, sneaked through the night to meet his victim in secret. For what, a few thousand dollars? So he could feed on the vulnerability of our son."
Perry's father, John Perry, and stepmother, Debbie, also submitted a statement, saying the doctor's actions had "devastated" their family. They questioned how long Plasencia thought he could supply countless doses without fatal consequences.
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the prison sentence on Wednesday 3 December 2025, along with two years of supervised probation.
Matthew Perry, who famously played Chandler Bing for ten seasons on Friends, had been public about his long-term battles with addiction, which began during his time on the globally successful sitcom.
