Matthew Perry's death: Ketamine supplier doctor to plead guilty today
What's the story
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, the doctor accused of supplying actor Matthew Perry with ketamine before his overdose death, is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday. This plea will make him the fourth of five defendants in Perry's case to do so. In exchange for his guilty pleas, prosecutors have agreed to drop three additional counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of falsifying records against him.
Legal clarification
Plasencia has been out on bond since last August
Plasencia's attorneys have clarified that he "was not treating Matthew Perry at the time of his death and the ketamine that caused Mr. Perry's death was not provided by Dr. Plasencia." The remaining charges against him could result in a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, although it's uncertain if he'll receive a lesser sentence. He has been out on bond since shortly after his arrest last August.
Charges
How Perry's death unfolded
Prosecutors and co-defendants have alleged that Plasencia illegally supplied Perry with a significant amount of ketamine starting about a month before his death on October 28, 2023. A co-defendant revealed that Plasencia had referred to the actor as a "moron" in a text message, suggesting he could be exploited for money. Perry was found dead by his personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, with the medical examiner ruling ketamine as the primary cause of death.
Addiction battle
Perry was using ketamine for depression
Perry had been using ketamine through his regular doctor as a legal but off-label treatment for depression. However, he started seeking more ketamine than his doctor could provide. In his plea agreement, Plasencia admitted that another patient had connected him with Perry and that he "illegally supplied" the actor with 20 vials of ketamine totaling 100 mg, along with lozenges and syringes about a month before Perry's death.
Supply details
Plasencia asked another doctor to supply drugs for him
Plasencia also admitted to getting another doctor, Mark Chavez, to supply the drug for him. It was in a text message to Chavez that Plasencia allegedly said, "I wonder how much this moron will pay." After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia allegedly asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry's "go-to," prosecutors said.