Perry’s Doctor: Guilty Plea in Ketamine Death Case
One of the doctors implicated in Matthew Perry’s 2023 death has agreed to plead guilty to distributing ketamine to the actor, according to a plea agreement.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed physician, will plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine. This agreement was filed on Monday, June 16, in Los Angeles.
The plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Plasencia is one of five people facing criminal charges related to Perry’s death and is expected to enter the plea in the coming weeks.
Before this agreement, the doctor faced seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents related to the federal investigation into Perry’s death.
Plasencia was among those charged last year following the investigation into Perry’s death in October. He could face up to 40 years in prison for the four counts of distribution of ketamine.
The actor passed away from an accidental drug overdose on Oct. 28, 2023. An autopsy revealed that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, along with other contributing factors such as drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used for opioid use disorder.
More than six months after his death, the Los Angeles Police Department conducted a formal investigation into how the actor obtained the ketamine after the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner concluded their investigation in December 2023.
In August 2024, Plasencia and four others were arrested on charges connected to the actor’s death.
Jasveen Sangha is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine, the Department of Justice announced.
Sangha is scheduled to go to trial in August. She has pleaded not guilty, making her the only person charged in Perry’s death who has not entered a plea agreement.
The other defendants all pleaded guilty in August 2024. Dr. Mark Chavez pleaded to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine. Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, pleaded one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death in August. Erik Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Federal prosecutors have alleged that the five defendants “took advantage” of Perry for their own “profit.”
According to the Justice Department, Plasencia allegedly contacted Chavez, who was also a doctor and previously ran a ketamine clinic, to obtain the substance to sell to Perry. The DoJ claimed that Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine in text messages to Chavez, stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Lets [sic] find out.”
The attorney also alleged that the defendants were aware of the potential negative impacts on Perry’s health due to their actions. Estrada claimed that the prosecution found text messages in which Sangha wrote, “I wouldn’t do it if there wasn’t a chance of me making some money for doing this.”
Estrada claimed that following Perry’s death, the defendants tried to “cover up” their involvement, adding that Sangha allegedly wrote in a text message to another defendant, “Delete all our messages.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
We hope this information is helpful. Stay tuned for more updates from Eternal Pen!
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