Doctor Pleads Guilty In Matthew Perry Ketamine Case

Dr. Salvador Plasencia Pleads Guilty To Supplying Actor With Ketamine

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 43, has pleaded guilty in federal court to four counts of illegally distributing ketamine in connection with the 2023 overdose of actor Matthew Perry.

Under the terms of the plea deal, an additional three distribution charges and two counts of falsifying records were dismissed. Plasencia is out on bond until his sentencing on December 3^rd, 2025, when he could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison. He is also set to surrender his medical license in the next 30-45 days.

Plasencia Aimed To Become Perry’s “Go-To” Supplier

“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” is what Plasencia texted Mark Chavez, the doctor from whom he purchased the ketamine. After initially selling the drugs to Perry, Plasencia allegedly asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to” supplier.

Plasencia was first introduced to Perry through another patient, establishing a brief but dangerous connection. After meeting in September 2023, Plasencia initially supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine, as well as ketamine syringes and lozenges, for which he was paid $4,500. Over the next month, Plasencia would continue to supply the actor with more ketamine, with the transactions estimated to total approximately $55,000.

It was reported that Plasencia initially went to Perry’s house and injected him with ketamine on multiple occasions, receiving $12,000 for one such visit. The plea agreement also details an instance outside of the actor’s home, in a Long Beach parking lot, where Plasencia met Perry and administered ketamine. Sometime after that, Plasencia taught Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, how to administer the injection, despite Iwamasa having no prior medical training. From then on, Plasencia dealt with Iwamasa in communicating and supplying the drug.

On Friday, October 27, 2023, Plasencia texted Iwamasa that he would be out of town that weekend but had “supplies” available if needed. Perry was found unresponsive and died from the acute effects of ketamine the next day, though court documents reported Plascencia did not provide the lethal ketamine.

The Gray Area Of Ketamine Treatment

In recent years, ketamine (a surgical anesthetic) has been lauded for its off-label use in psychiatric care to treat conditions like anxiety, PTSD, and treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine therapy involves monitored and controlled dosing via infusions or nasal sprays under doctor supervision and has been found to be beneficial for many.

At the time of his passing, Perry was undergoing ketamine therapy for the treatment of depression under the oversight of his physician. However, his doctor had refused to give him a larger dose, so Perry started to seek the drug outside of legal means, a sign of a growing addiction. This has led many to question if Perry, who had openly struggled with a substance use disorder in the past, should have even been a candidate for ketamine therapy.

This sentiment is echoed by critics who claim ketamine therapy is too unregulated and carries significant risks, such as damaging health effects and addiction. This lack of oversight surrounding off-label ketamine treatment shows how quickly ketamine use can turn dangerous and even deadly.

Get Help For Ketamine Misuse

Almost two years later, Matthew Perry’s tragic passing is a solemn reminder of the real dangers of ketamine misuse. While Plasencia and others connected to Perry’s ketamine overdose are seeing their days in court, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the growing ketamine problem in the U.S. and beyond.

If you or someone you love struggles with ketamine dependence or addiction, help is available. Ketamine addiction treatment often includes detox, therapy, and social support that address the underlying causes of substance abuse. Contact a treatment provider or explore our rehab directory to find treatment options available to you.