Matthew Perry's Doctor Who Sold Actor Ketamine Gets 30-Month Prison Sentence And A USD 5.6K Fine

Matthew Perry’s death was one of the most tragic losses in Hollywood, as millions of Friends fans worldwide cried like they had lost one of their own. Perry, forever known as the iconic ‘Chandler Bing’ from the beloved sitcom, was found dead on October 28, 2023, in the hot tub of his Pacific Palisades home, floating face down. Though the death was initially ruled as a natural one, further investigation revealed a disgusting truth: he was slowly poisoned with lethal doses of ketamine, supplied and administered by his own medical team and assistant.

Now, more than two years after Perry’s death, the California doctor responsible for the tragedy has been handed down a 30-month sentence in an emotional federal court hearing on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The sentencing comes after the late actor’s parents and stepfather, Keith Morrison, submitted deeply moving statements to the court, demanding justice for the son they desperately tried to save all these years.

Doctor who sold ketamine to Matthew Perry gets 30-month sentence

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, the California doctor who illegally supplied ketamine to the Friends star, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for “exploiting” Perry’s addiction for profit, in addition to a fine of USD 5,600. In a Los Angeles courtroom, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett condemned the 44-year-old doctor for his role in the actor’s death. She said:

“You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction. You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit.”

The judge stressed that though the ketamine Plasencia sold was not the dose that killed Perry, his continuous supply of the drug played a central role in fuelling the cycle that ultimately claimed the actor’s life at just 54. Plasencia was taken into custody immediately. His mother sobbed as marshals led him out in handcuffs.

Matthew Perry’s family breaks down as they confront the man who fed the late actor’s addiction

The court hearing on Wednesday was one of the most emotional chapters of the legal case surrounding the Friends star’s death. Matthew Perry’s mother, stepmother, father, and half-sisters delivered heart-wrenching victim impact statements, speaking publicly for the first time since the actor’s death. Perry’s sister, Madeline Morrison, broke down in tears as she addressed the court:

“My brother’s death turned my world upside down. It punched a crater in my life. His absence is everywhere. The world mourns my brother. He was everyone’s favorite friend. Celebrities are not plastic dolls that you can take advantage of. They’re people. They’re human beings with families.”

Perry’s grieving parents recalled their helplessness and pain as they watched their son fight addiction for decades, only to be exploited by the very people he had entrusted his life to. In new letters submitted to the court, the actor’s father condemned Plasencia as “among the most culpable”, while his mother, Suzanne, and stepdad, Keith Morrison, slammed the doctor and others involved in the crime as “greedy jackals” who preyed on their son’s vulnerability. 

Suzanne Perry walked up to the podium with her husband, Dateline journalist Keth Morrison, to address the time Plasencia called Matthew a “moron” in his text to another doctor when they decided to exploit him for money. Suzanne said:

“You called him a ‘moron’. There is nothing moronic about that man. He was even a successful drug addict…this was a bad thing you did!”

During the court hearing, Matthew Perry’s grieving mother and stepfather submitted a heart-wrenching victim impact letter describing how a group of “greedy jackals” took away the son they desperately tried to keep alive through his years of depression and addiction. The Morrisons wrote:

“How do you measure grief? The bottom falling out? Yes, that. Here was a life so entwined with ours and held aloft sometimes with duct tape and baling wire, with anything that might keep that big terrible thing from killing our firstborn son, and our hearts with him.”

What happened on Matthew Perry’s final day?

Plasencia is the first of five defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with Matthew Perry’s death, alongside Dr. Mark Chavez, Jasveen Sangha (aka Ketamine Queen), Erik Fleming, and Kenneth Iwamasa. Court filings say Iwamasa injected Perry with at least 21 doses of ketamine in his final week. On October 28, 2023, he allegedly administered multiple injections the day Perry died.

According to Iwamasa’s plea agreement, he injected Perry at 8:30 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. on the day of his death. About 40 minutes later, Perry asked Iwamasa to prepare a jacuzzi and allegedly said:

“Shoot me up with a big one.”

What’s next in the case?

With Plasencia’s sentence now confirmed, the court is awaiting upcoming hearings from the remaining defendants. Jasveen Sangha, who faces the most serious charges in the case, will arrive the court on December 10, 2025. Another doctor involved in the case, Dr. Mark Chavez, is scheduled for a hearing on December 17, 2025. The other two defendants, Eric Fleming and Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, are scheduled for hearings on January 7 and January 14, 2026, respectively.

Matthew Perry’s loss still feels like a bottomless void for those who loved him. What are your thoughts on Plasencia’s prison sentence?

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