A former Santa Monica physician was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry, despite knowing about Perry’s history of addiction and that the drug was being administered by an untrained personal assistant.
Salvador Plasencia, 44, also known as “Dr. P,” received his sentence from United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett. In addition to the prison term, Plasencia was fined $5,600 and ordered into immediate federal custody.
Plasencia pleaded guilty on July 23 to four counts of distribution of ketamine. He surrendered his California medical license in September 2025.
Plasencia owned Malibu Canyon Urgent Care LLC in Calabasas. As a licensed physician, he knew ketamine is a controlled substance used as an anesthetic and sometimes for psychiatric conditions without FDA approval. Court documents show he understood the risks associated with ketamine use, including sedation, psychiatric effects, abuse, and misuse. His own treatment notes stated patients “should be monitored by [a] physician when undergoing treatment as a safety Measure.”
On September 30, 2023, Plasencia met Perry through another patient who described Perry as a “high profile person” willing to pay significant amounts for ketamine treatment. According to Plasencia’s plea agreement:
“Rather than do what was best for Mr. Perry – someone who had struggled with addiction for most of his life – [Plasencia] sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “Indeed, the day [Plasencia] met Perry he made his profit motive known, telling a co-conspirator: ‘I wonder how much this moron will pay’ and ‘let’s find out.’”
That same day, Plasencia contacted Mark Chavez, then a licensed San Diego physician. He purchased $795 worth of ketamine vials and tablets from Chavez along with syringes and gloves before administering the drug to Perry at his Los Angeles home. He left at least one vial with Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s personal assistant, who paid him $4,500.
In subsequent weeks, Plasencia bought more ketamine from Chavez and gave additional treatments to Perry at his home and once in a Long Beach parking lot while sitting in the backseat of Perry’s vehicle.
During one session at Perry’s home, Perry experienced elevated blood pressure that caused him to freeze up. Despite this reaction, Plasencia left more vials with Iwamasa knowing they would be administered without professional supervision.
Between September 30 and October 12, 2023, Plasencia distributed 20 vials plus multiple tablets of ketamine and syringes to Iwamasa and Perry even though he knew these actions were not medically justified or safe. Prosecutors noted that Plasencia charged $57,000 during this period—far above the typical price of approximately $15 per vial.
Later that month, Plasencia ordered more ketamine using his DEA license through a pharmaceutical company. On October 27 he texted Iwamasa: “I know you mentioned taking a break. I have been stocking up on the meanwhile. I am not sure when you guys plan to resume but in case its when im out of town this weekend I have left supplies with a nurse of mine ...I can always let her know the plan.”
Perry died from a fatal overdose on October 28; however authorities said that Plasencia did not provide the specific dose that led to his death.
After learning about Perry’s overdose and receiving a subpoena from the DEA, Plasencia falsified treatment notes and invoices regarding his interactions with Perry in an attempt to conceal illegal sales of ketamine vials to Iwamasa. Among other fabrications were claims that on October 7 he was scheduled for a session with Perry when actually he met only with Iwamasa late at night outside a Santa Monica bar solely for drug delivery purposes.
Chavez and Iwamasa both pleaded guilty last year to federal drug charges; their sentencings are set for December 17, 2025 (Chavez) and January 14, 2026 (Iwamasa). Two others connected with the case—Erik Fleming (“Hawthorne”) and Jasveen Sangha (“Ketamine Queen” from North Hollywood)—also pleaded guilty on related charges; their sentencings are scheduled for January 7 and February 25 next year respectively.
The investigation involved cooperation between the Los Angeles Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello (National Security Division) and Haoxiaohan H. Cai (Major Frauds Section) prosecuted the case.
