California doctor Salvador Plasencia, accused of providing ketamine access to Friends star Matthew Perry weeks before the actor died of an overdose in 2023, has agreed to plead guilty, the US media reported on Tuesday.
Plasencia will plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, federal prosecutors said in a statement on Monday, according to a report by the BBC.
The plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and the doctor is expected to make his plea in the coming weeks, BBC reported.
Plasencia was one of the five people charged in connection with the mysterious death of Matthew Perry.
Ketamine serves as an anesthetic medicine that induces unconsciousness and alleviates pain. Although it is safe when used in a controlled amount, the drug has potential risks, including life-threatening side effects, if they are taken uncontrollably.
Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends, was found dead in a hot tub in his Los Angeles apartment in October 2023. He was 54.
The BBC reported that text messages shared with prosecutors by one Mark Chavez, a doctor who already pleaded guilty in the case, Plasencia called Perry a “moron” and wondered how much he'd be willing to pay for the drugs.
As per documents filed for the plea agreement, Plasencia injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the parking lot of the Long Beach Aquarium. He had given instructions to Perry's assistant on how to administer the drug and would also sell extra vials for them to keep at home, according to the BBC report.
Prosecutors alleged that Plasencia was part of an underground network of dealers and professionals.
In 2023, Perry was taking legally-permitted dosage of the drug to cope with depression. However, he reportedly asked for more than what was prescribed.
The plea agreement mentions that between September 30, 2023 and October 12, 2023, Dr. Plasencia sold twenty 5ml (100mg/ml) vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes to Perry and his assistant.