A doctor in Los Angeles has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for selling ketamine to Matthew Perry before the “Friends” star’s overdose death. Dr. Salvador Plasencia admitted to illegally selling ketamine to Perry, although he did not provide the dose that ultimately led to the actor’s death at age 54 in 2023.
Plasencia is the first of five defendants to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death. Prosecutors requested a three-year prison sentence for Plasencia, emphasizing that he took advantage of Perry’s addiction and medical vulnerability for profit.
Despite his attorneys painting a sympathetic picture of him as a doctor who had risen out of poverty to become beloved by his patients, Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine. Perry’s family, including his mother Suzanne Perry and stepfather Keith Morrison, attended the sentencing hearing.
Perry had struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” where he starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons. The other four defendants who pleaded guilty will be sentenced in the coming months.
