Matthew Perry's Doctor Pleads Guilty to Supplying Ketamine to 'Friends' Actor

California doctor accused in the overdose death of 'Friends' actor Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of illegal distribution of the drug ketamine, according to a court filing on Monday.

Salvador Plasencia, who operated an urgent care clinic in Malibu, faces up to 40 years in prison, according to a statement from prosecutors. He is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks. Plasencia was one of five individuals charged in connection with Perry's death, who died at the age of 54. An autopsy determined that the actor died from the acute effects of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his jacuzzi in October 2023.

Ketamine is a short-acting anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. It is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but is also used recreationally.

In the plea agreement, Plasencia admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine at his home and in a Santa Monica parking lot weeks before his death, in exchange for thousands of dollars, and that it was not "for legitimate medical purposes."

Plasencia obtained the ketamine from another doctor, Mark Chavez, from San Diego. According to previous court documents, Plasencia messaged Chavez about Perry saying, "I wonder how much this idiot will pay."

Chavez and two other defendants have already pleaded guilty in the case. None have been sentenced yet. A fifth defendant, Jasveen Sangha, whom authorities described as a dealer known to her clients as the "ketamine queen," has been accused of supplying the dose that killed Perry. She has pleaded not guilty, and her trial is set for August.

Perry had publicly acknowledged his struggle with addictions for decades, even while portraying Chandler Bing in the hit 90s sitcom 'Friends.'