California doctor gets 30‑month sentence for supplying ketamine that led to Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose

First sentence delivered in the high-profile Perry death case

In Los Angeles federal court on 3 December 2025, a physician has become the first individual to be sentenced in connection with the 2023 overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Salvador Plasencia, 44, was handed a 30‑month prison term after pleading guilty to four counts of illegally distributing ketamine to Perry and his assistant.

In addition to incarceration, Plasencia was ordered to pay a $5,600 fine, will serve two years of supervised release after his prison term, and surrendered his California medical license.

What prosecutors and court records say — supply, addiction and exploitation

Court documents and the government’s plea agreement present a disturbing picture of systematic supply of ketamine to Perry — often in large volumes, and with full awareness of his long‑standing substance abuse history. Prosecutors argued that Plasencia “sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.”

According to the Department of Justice, between late September and mid‑October 2023, Plasencia supplied approximately 20 vials and multiple tablets of ketamine — along with syringes — to Perry or his assistant. Some of the ketamine was administered by Perry’s unlicensed assistant, without appropriate medical supervision.

Prosecutors say Plasencia charged tens of thousands of dollars — a figure far above the standard street price of ketamine — treating his role more like that of a drug dealer than a medical provider.

Although forensic investigators concluded that the dose Plasencia provided was not the one that directly killed Perry — the autopsy identified the cause of death as “acute effects of ketamine” combined with drowning and other factors. The court nonetheless determined that Plasencia’s actions significantly contributed to the chain of events that ended in tragedy.

At sentencing, the judge — Sherilyn Peace Garnett — rejected medical‑use justification offered by the defense, noting that Plasencia knew the distribution lacked a legitimate psychiatric purpose.

Emotional fallout — the family’s voices in court

The sentencing hearing proved emotionally charged. Members of Perry’s family addressed the court — including his mother, who “softly” confronted Plasencia, imploring him to acknowledge the human cost of his actions.

Standing alongside Perry’s step‑father, his mother told the former doctor simply: “I just want you to see his mother.”

In his own words, Plasencia admitted: “I should have protected him. I have to accept responsibility.” He acknowledged his failure not only to Perry — a beloved actor and father — but also to the star’s family.

Following the verdict, statements from Perry’s family described Plasencia as “the most culpable” among those charged, underscoring a sense of betrayal and deep personal loss.

Broader case: a network of facilitators awaits sentencing

While Plasencia is the first to receive a prison sentence, he is only one of five defendants convicted so far in connection to Perry’s death. Others include:

• Another physician — Mark Chavez — who supplied ketamine that eventually reached Perry.
• Perry’s personal assistant, who administered ketamine without medical training.
• A woman nicknamed the “Ketamine Queen,” Jasveen Sangha, alleged to have distributed large quantities of the drug to high‑profile clients.

Sentencing dates for these individuals are scheduled over the coming months.

Why this case matters — medical ethics, addiction and accountability

The sentencing of Plasencia draws a bright red line through a case that many feared would end with impunity — a doctor supplying potent drugs to a vulnerable patient, ignoring substance‑use history, enabling addiction, and profiting from it. Experts say the case may serve as a precedent for holding medical professionals and suppliers of controlled substances criminally accountable when they disregard safety and ethics.

It also sheds light on the dark intersections between celebrity, mental‑health struggles, and underground drug supply — raising questions about how desperation, addiction and easy access to illicit prescriptions combine to deadly effect. For many followers of Perry’s career and legacy, it’s a cautionary tale about the demands of fame and the vulnerabilities behind public success.

Final thoughts: justice, loss and a warning to others

The 30‑month sentence for Dr. Salvador Plasencia marks a milestone in a case that has riveted fans, media and advocates for addiction awareness. It is the first official judicial reckoning in the death of a beloved cultural icon — Friends star Matthew Perry.

Yet for his family — and for countless others grappling with addiction — no sentence can bring him back. The hope that remains, perhaps, is that this judgment will deter others from treating controlled drugs as commodities, remind medical professionals of their duty of care, and reinforce that no one is above accountability when lives are at stake.