• Dr. Salvador Plasencia sentenced to 30 months in prison for supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry.
• Perry's family delivered emotional victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing.
• The court heard that Plasencia had referred to Perry as a "moron" in text messages, indicating intent to exploit his vulnerability.
• Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of illegal distribution of ketamine but did not supply the fatal dose.
• Prosecutors described Plasencia's actions as exploitative, while his defense depicted him as a remorseful individual who made grave mistakes.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegally supplying ketamine to actor Matthew Perry, who died from an overdose in 2023. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett emphasized that Plasencia's actions contributed to Perry's struggles with addiction, stating, “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction” according to Los Angeles Times.

During the emotional sentencing hearing, Perry's family delivered poignant victim impact statements, highlighting the devastation caused by his death. Perry's mother, Suzanne, criticized Plasencia for exploiting her son's vulnerabilities, directly addressing him: “You called him a 'moron.' There is nothing moronic about that man,” reports Reuters and India Times.

Perry had sought ketamine for legitimate medical purposes initially, but after his regular physician refused to provide the amounts he desired, he turned to Plasencia, who admitted to illegally distributing the drug. Prosecutors noted that Plasencia offered to sell the drug and even mused about how much “this moron will pay,” according to text messages presented in court, as reported by Channel News Asia and Sfgate.

Plasencia had pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution as part of a plea deal, but he did not plead guilty to causing Perry's death. His attorneys argued that Plasencia was filled with regret for his actions and claimed he was not a villain but a doctor who made grave mistakes during a difficult time, according to Le Monde.

Perry’s death sent shockwaves through the entertainment community, underscoring the challenges of addiction that the actor openly struggled with throughout his life. His role on the iconic television series “Friends” in the 1990s and 2000s did not shield him from these personal battles, which were public knowledge, as detailed in his memoir, reports Le Monde and Sfgate.