Dr. Salvador Plasencia — one of the individuals charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death — has been sentenced after entering a guilty plea in the case.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday, December 3, that Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months, nearly two and a half years, in prison. Plasencia will also serve two years of supervised release following his time behind bars.
The Department of Justice announced on June 16 that Plasencia was expected to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine stemming from Perry’s October 2023 death from an overdose of the drug. Prosecutors noted at the time that the charge carried a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
New details surrounding the case were revealed when Plasencia’s plea agreement was filed on June 16. Plasencia distributed 20 vials of ketamine, ketamine lozenges and syringes to Perry and his assistant Kenneth Iwamasa in the weeks leading up to Perry’s death at age 54.
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“[Plasencia] admits that his conduct fell below the proper standard of medical care and that transfers of ketamine vials to Defendant Iwamasa and Victim M.P. were not for a legitimate medical purpose,” his plea agreement said.
One month before Perry’s death, one of Plasencia’s patients introduced him to Perry, who was described by the unidentified patient as a “‘high profile person’ who was seeking ketamine and was willing to pay ‘cash and lots of thousands’ for ketamine treatment,” per the agreement. Plasencia purchased the ketamine items from Dr. Mark Chavez and subsequently administered ketamine to Perry at his home on multiple occasions while also leaving vials and lozenges behind for Iwamasa to dispense. Plasencia was paid $12,000 for one of the visits.
On October 12, 2023, when Plasencia administered ketamine at Perry’s home, Perry’s blood pressure spiked, making him “freeze up.”
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“Notwithstanding Victim M.P.’s reaction, defendant left additional vials of ketamine with Defendant Iwamasa, knowing that Defendant Iwamasa would inject the ketamine into Victim M.P.,” the plea agreement read.
One day before Perry’s death, Plasencia texted Iwamasa to inform him he received 10 more vials of ketamine through a licensed pharmaceutical company using his DEA license.
“I know you mentioned taking a break. I have been stocking up on the meanwhile,” Plasencia wrote. “I am not sure when you guys plan to resume but in case its [sic] when im [sic] out of town this weekend I have left supplies with a nurse of mine … I can always let her know the plan.”
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Perry’s cause of death was determined in December 2023 to be “the acute effects of ketamine.” The ketamine he overdosed on was not provided by Plasencia, the plea agreement stated.
Plasencia was among five people charged in connection with Perry’s death. Chavez pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine in October 2024, and Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death in August 2024. Eric Fleming — who admitted to distributing the ketamine that killed Perry — pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Jasveen Sangha — who is accused of selling ketamine to Perry and working with Fleming and Iwamasa to distribute the drugs to the late actor — pleaded not guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.