LOS ANGELES – A California doctor was sentenced today for his role in supplying the ketamine that contributed to the death of actor Matthew Perry. Dr. Albert Plasencia pleaded guilty earlier this year and admitted to improperly prescribing and administering the drug to Perry, who was battling addiction.
Perry’s parents, Suzanne and Keith Morrison, submitted victim impact statements to the judge prior to sentencing. They highlighted text messages revealed in court records where Plasencia referred to Perry as a “moron” and inquired about payment for the drugs. “Sometimes it’s a little easier to understand when a person commits a terrible crime. Maybe in the heat of passion, or as that person makes one very bad decision,” they wrote. “But…a doctor? Who trades on respect, and trust?” They also noted Perry was seeking a professional resurgence, stating, “He wanted, needed, deserved..a third act. It was ..in the planning. And then, those jackals.”
Plasencia apologized in a letter to the judge last month, stating he had “fully taken responsibility for his actions and role in Perry’s death.” He acknowledged crossing professional boundaries, writing, “I did not set out to harm anyone, but my decisions during those days betrayed my duty as a physician…No one forced me to do this; it was my own poor judgment and it was wrong.” He cited financial struggles with his medical clinic as a factor, admitting the “large sums of money was appealing” despite recognizing Perry’s “signs of addiction.”
According to court documents, Plasencia voluntarily surrendered his medical license and closed his clinic following his arrest. He stated he would “accept whatever sentence this Court deems appropriate.”
Prosecutors detailed how Perry was legally prescribed ketamine for depression but began seeking larger quantities. This led him to multiple doctors and a woman described as the “Ketamine Queen” who operated a “drug-selling emporium” from her Los Angeles home.
Prosecutors allege Plasencia, also known as “Dr P,” injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the parking lot of an aquarium in Long beach. He also instructed Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who also pleaded guilty, on how to administer the drug and sold additional vials for home use.
Between September 30, 2023, and October 12, 2023, Plasencia sold Perry and Iwamasa twenty 5ml (100mg/ml) vials of ketamine, ketamine lozenges, and syringes, according to court filings. Prosecutors asserted that Plasencia and others involved exploited Perry’s addiction for financial gain. Ketamine is a hallucinogenic drug intended for administration only by a physician.
