Doctor to Plead Guilty in Matthew Perry Ketamine Case

Photo:AP

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California urgent-care physician, has agreed to plead guilty to four federal counts of distributing ketamine in connection with actor Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023.

Under the plea agreement filed June 16, 2025, prosecutors have agreed to drop three additional ketamine counts and two falsifying-records charges, though the plea still carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison .

Court documents reveal Plasencia supplied Perry with approximately 20 vials of ketamine, along with lozenges and syringes, between late September and mid‑October 2025. He also enlisted another doctor, Mark Chavez, to help source and administer the drug, and trained Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, to use it — even injecting Perry himself at least twice. A shocking text message exchange quoted by prosecutors shows Plasencia calling Perry a “moron” and expressing eagerness to profit .

Perry tragically died on October 28, 2023, after suffering a ketamine overdose — officially ruled as due to “acute effects of ketamine,” with contributing factors like coronary artery disease and drowning.

Plasencia is one of five individuals charged in the case. Three co-defendants — including Iwamasa, Chavez, and drug intermediary Erik Fleming — have already pleaded guilty. Another suspect, Jasveen Sangha (dubbed the “Ketamine Queen”), remains pleading not guilty and is slated for trial in August 2025 .

Sentencing for Plasencia and the other defendants has not yet been scheduled. His pending plea deal could result in a significantly reduced sentence compared to the maximum, though the exact prison term remains to be determined .

This case highlights serious ethical violations in healthcare, revealing how controlled substances like ketamine can be misused — especially when prescribed off-label for conditions like depression. It also underscores the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding addiction treatment and celebrity fatalities.