July 30, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Second Doctor to Plead Guilty in Matthew Perry Ketamine Case, Faces Up to 40 Years

Doctor Admits to Illegally Supplying Ketamine to the Actor and His Assistant

One of the physicians charged in connection with actor Matthew Perry’s fatal ketamine overdose will plead guilty to federal drug distribution charges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who operated an urgent care clinic in Malibu, is expected to enter a guilty plea to four counts of distributing ketamine without a legitimate medical purpose. The charges carry a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.

The plea agreement identifies Plasencia as a key figure in the drug supply chain that led to the October 2023 death of Perry, best known for his role on the television series Friends. Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in the jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, 2023. An autopsy determined he died from the acute effects of ketamine.

According to the agreement filed in federal court, Plasencia provided vials, lozenges, and syringes of ketamine to Perry and the actor’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, between Sept. 30 and Oct. 12, 2023. Plasencia admitted that his actions failed to meet accepted medical standards and were not based on legitimate treatment needs.

The plea deal details numerous transactions and interactions, including one incident in which Plasencia administered ketamine to Perry in a Long Beach parking lot. He also supplied doses to Iwamasa, fully aware that the assistant lacked medical training but would be administering the drug.

Despite a visible adverse reaction during an October 12 visit, when Perry’s blood pressure spiked and his body “froze up,” Plasencia continued to provide ketamine. He later texted Iwamasa about leaving additional supplies with a nurse while he was away for the weekend.

While Plasencia was not the source of the ketamine that killed Perry, another defendant, Eric Fleming, admitted in court to distributing the fatal dose. Fleming pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy and distribution charges and is set to be sentenced in November.

Iwamasa also entered a guilty plea in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. He is scheduled for sentencing in November as well.

Dr. Mark Chavez, another physician involved in the case, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to ketamine distribution. Chavez had supplied ketamine to Plasencia and is due for sentencing in September.

Court documents reveal that Perry asked Iwamasa to help acquire ketamine in September 2023, offering cash and reimbursement. The actor was introduced to Plasencia by a mutual acquaintance who described Perry as a “high-profile person” willing to pay “cash and lots of thousands.”

Even after being told Perry’s drug use was “spiraling out of control,” Plasencia continued to provide ketamine, prosecutors said.

Trial for Plasencia had been set for August prior to the plea agreement.

in News
Related Posts

Westchester Del Rey Stuns Tucson With 11-Run Inning to Reach World Series

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Westside Team Heads to Greenville, North Carolina to Compete for Glory  Westchester Del Rey Little League is headed to the...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Fiesta La Ballona Returns to Culver City With Rides, Food, and Family Fun

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Discounted Unlimited Ride Wristbands Now Available Online Fiesta La Ballona is set to return to Veterans Memorial Park on August 22–24,...

Man Arrested After Threatening Westwood Village Ambassadors With a Blade

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

LAPD Says Suspect Wielded Box Cutter Near Weyburn and Glendon Authorities arrested a man Sunday afternoon following a confrontation in...

Felony Charges Dropped for Man in UCLA Encampment Attack After Diversion Deal

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Malachi Marlan-Librett Must Complete Therapy, Anti-bias Training in Hate Crime Case The only person charged with a felony in connection...

Homecare Company Celebrates 14 years of Compassion While Planting New Roots After January Fire

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Luxe Homecare, a leading provider of compassionate and reliable in-home care services for seniors has recently announced the opening of...

Wallis Annenberg, Visionary Philanthropist and Civic Leader, Dies at 86

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Philanthropist Expanded Foundation’s Reach From Arts to Conservation Wallis Annenberg, a prominent philanthropist and longtime leader of the Annenberg Foundation,...

Second Grenade Still Missing After Blast That Killed Three LA Sheriff’s Detectives

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Only One Grenade Exploded; The Second Device Has Vanished Authorities said Friday that one of two grenades recovered last week...

More Than $50 Billion in Damage: What January’s Wildfire Cost the City of Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Nearly 11,000 Properties, Many in Pacific Palisades, Affected; True Losses Likely Higher Nearly $52 billion in residential real estate across...

Award-Winning Beverly Hills Villa Lists for $39.9 Million in Celebrity-Filled Enclave

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Limestone Showpiece Hits Market in the Flats, From Acclaimed Architect Tucked in the heart of Beverly Hills Flats, a limestone-clad...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles For More...

Residents Paint DIY Crosswalks Around West LA Park to Slow Speeding Drivers

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Neighbors Say Safety Comes First, But City Crews Remove Safety Feature Fed up with what they call years of city...

The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or...