Doctor Jailed for Supplying Ketamine to 'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Before Fatal Overdose

American actor and comedian Matthew Perry passed away at 54 years old in October 2023.

A California physician who provided ketamine to "Friends" star Matthew Perry prior to his fatal overdose was sentenced to jail on Wednesday. Salvador Plasencia, 44, who once texted another doctor about "how much this moron will pay" for the drug, received a 30-month prison sentence.

Plasencia is the first of five individuals to face legal consequences for Perry's 2023 death, which occurred in the hot tub of his Los Angeles residence. He was convicted of supplying the actor, who had well-documented addiction struggles, with ketamine at extremely inflated prices.

In their victim impact statement, Perry's mother Suzanne Perry and stepfather Keith Morrison emphasized that Plasencia, although not the supplier of the fatal dose, had failed in his professional responsibility. "Matthew's recovery counted on you saying NO," they wrote. "Your motives? I can't imagine. A doctor whose life is devoted to helping people?"

Plasencia's defense attorneys, Karen Goldstein and Debra White, had sought probation instead of imprisonment. After sentencing, they stated their client deeply regretted his actions, saying: "He is not a villain. He is someone who made serious mistakes in his treatment decisions involving the off-label use of ketamine -- a drug commonly used for depression that does not have uniform standards."

They added, "The mistakes he made over the 13 days during which he treated Mr. Perry will stay with him forever."

Another physician, Mark Chavez, pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry. According to prosecutors, Plasencia purchased ketamine from Chavez and sold it to the American-Canadian actor at vastly inflated prices, with text evidence revealing Plasencia's question: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

Four other individuals who have admitted involvement in supplying drugs to Perry await sentencing in the coming months. Among them is Jasveen Sangha, nicknamed the "Ketamine Queen" for supplying drugs to high-profile clients and celebrities, who faces up to 65 years in prison. Perry's live-in personal assistant and another individual pleaded guilty in August to charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Perry's extensive battle with substance addiction was publicly known, but his death at age 54 devastated "Friends" fans worldwide. A criminal investigation launched after his autopsy revealed high ketamine levels in his system.

In his plea agreement, Plasencia admitted to visiting Perry's home to administer ketamine injections and distributing 20 vials of the drug over approximately two weeks in autumn 2023. While Perry had been receiving supervised ketamine therapy for depression, prosecutors maintain that he became addicted to the substance, which has psychedelic properties and is known as a recreational drug.

"Friends," which aired from 1994 to 2004, chronicled the lives of six New Yorkers navigating adulthood, relationships, and careers, gaining massive popularity and launching its previously unknown cast to stardom. Perry's portrayal of the sarcastic Chandler brought him tremendous wealth but concealed his dark struggles with painkillers and alcohol.

In 2018, Perry suffered a drug-related burst colon requiring multiple surgeries. His 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing" detailed undergoing detox dozens of times. "I have mostly been sober since 2001," he wrote, "save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps."