California Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry Death

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California physician, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to four counts of illegally distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the month before Perry's fatal overdose in October 2023. Prosecutors allege Plasencia supplied Perry with vials and lozenges of ketamine, personally administered the drug, and taught Perry's assistant how to inject it, despite knowing Perry’s addiction history. The plea deal carries a maximum sentence of 40 years, though a lower sentence is expected to be recommended. Plasencia was part of a broader network of suppliers, with several other defendants already pleading guilty. Perry had received ketamine for depression but later sought more than medically advised, contributing to his overdose death. The case underscores concerns about ketamine misuse and the risks of off-label prescribing.