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Doctor sentenced to 30 months in prison for Matthew Perry's overdose

2025-12-04 08:19:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

A California doctor who supplied ketamine to "Friends" star Matthew Perry has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, becoming the first person to receive a sentence for the actor's overdose death.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia was one of five defendants in a multi-year federal investigation that examined how Perry obtained the dissociative anesthetic through an underground drug ring in Hollywood.

Perry, 54, was found dead in his Los Angeles home in 2023, after years of battling depression and addiction.

The actor's family asked the judge for a long sentence, calling Plasencia "the most culpable" and detailing their difficulties in understanding why he continually supplied Perry with drugs.

Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, was among several family members who spoke in court before Plasencia's sentencing. She highlighted text messages included in court records in which Plasencia called Perry an "idiot" and wondered how much he would be willing to pay for the drugs.

She was emotional, addressing Plasencia directly.

"There was nothing idiotic about that man," his mother said, adding that the doctor had taken an oath to protect people and should have protected her son.

Plasencia also spoke in court and addressed Perry's family, expressing regret and sorrow, as his mother wept in a seat behind him. Plasencia said she has a two-year-old son.

He also apologized to Perry's family.

"I let myself down. There is no excuse. I can't undo what's been done. I know that. I should have protected him, like his mother said. I'm so sorry," Plasencia said.

Along with the prison sentence, the Santa Monica doctor was ordered by US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett to pay a fine of $5,600 (£4,195). He was immediately taken into federal custody following the sentencing.

Plasencia pleaded guilty over the summer to four counts of distributing ketamine. The charges carried a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, although prosecutors had sought a sentence of three years./ CNA, translated by BBC