Doctor Charged in Matthew Perry's Death Officially Pleads Guilty

One of the doctors convicted in connection with the death of Matthew Perry officially entered his guilty plea on Wednesday, July 23.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution during a hearing in Los Angeles. He had previously agreed to the plea deal in June and faced up to 40 years in prison.

Plasencia’s attorney, Karen Goldstein, said in a statement reported by ABC News, “Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made providing ketamine to Matthew Perry. He is fully accepting responsibility by pleading guilty to drug distribution."

Plasencia will voluntarily surrender his medical license and indicated through his attorneys that it would happen within the next 30 to 45 days. His attorney said Plasencia understood his “failure to protect Mr. Perry,” as the actor had struggled openly with addiction in the past.

According to prosecutors, Plasencia had been introduced to Perry through one of the other individuals connected to his death, his assistant Kenneth Iwamasa. Perry had been reportedly struggling to access legal ketamine treatments, which he had been seeking in hopes of treating his depression.

When he couldn’t gain access, Plasencia reportedly stepped in. He obtained the drugs from another doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, and provided them to Iwamasa, who then administered them to Perry. Plasencia even showed them how to self-administer the ketamine.

The beloved Friends actor had been found dead on October 28, 2023, after years of struggling with addiction at the age of 54. The official autopsy report done by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office stated his death was due to “the acute effects of ketamine,” with drowning listed as a secondary contributor.

Plasencia will remain out on bond until his sentencing hearing on December 3. Prosecutors say he will be facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.

Plasencia’s conviction comes after Chavez pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine in October 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for September.