Dr Salvador Plasencia, a California physician accused of providing actor Matthew Perry with ketamine in the weeks preceding the Friends star’s fatal overdose, has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, prosecutors announced on Monday.
Plasencia faces four counts of distributing ketamine, with a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. He is expected to enter his plea in the coming weeks.
Perry, aged 54, was found dead in his Los Angeles hot tub in October 2023. Though he had openly discussed his battles with depression and addiction, the news of his death stunned fans worldwide.
Text messages shared with prosecutors reveal that Dr Plasencia referred to Perry as a “moron” and questioned how much he was willing to pay for the drugs, according to Dr Mark Chavez, another physician who has already pleaded guilty in connection with the case.
Documents filed for the plea agreement allege that Plasencia administered ketamine injections to Perry both at his home and in the parking lot of the Long Beach Aquarium. He also reportedly instructed Perry’s assistant, who is also a defendant, on how to administer the drug and sold additional vials for home use.
Plasencia is among five individuals charged with operating what prosecutors describe as an illicit network of dealers and medical professionals supplying Perry with ketamine. While Perry was legally prescribed ketamine in controlled doses for depression, he sought quantities exceeding his prescription.
Between 30 September and 12 October 2023, Plasencia allegedly sold Perry and his assistant twenty 5ml (100mg/ml) vials of ketamine, a partial package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes, according to the plea deal.
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