Doctor and ‘ketamine queen’ to face trial next year over death of Matthew Perry
By Ellie Iorizzo, PA Los Angeles Correspondent
A doctor and a woman dubbed “the ketamine queen” will face a joint trial in March 2025 following the death of Friends star Matthew Perry, a judge has ruled.
The pair are among five people who are said to have taken advantage of the US actor after he fell back into addiction last autumn.
Perry had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety when he became addicted to intravenous ketamine, turning to allegedly unscrupulous doctors.
He died from the “acute effects of ketamine” on October 28th at the age of 54.
Salvador Plasencia, a doctor from Santa Monica, allegedly used Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa to distribute ketamine to the actor from September to October last year for $55,000 (€50,000).
He is set to face a trial on March 4th next year, District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett ruled in court documents seen by the PA news agency.
Plasencia will stand trial alongside Jasveen Sangha – an alleged drug dealer named by authorities as “the ketamine queen” – who is said to have sold ketamine to Perry for $11,000 in cash.
The ketamine supplied by Sangha was ultimately the dose that took Perry’s life, a Drug Enforcement Administrator previously claimed.
Plasencia is facing a maximum sentence of 120 years in federal prison, while Sangha is facing life imprisonment.
During a previous court appearance, Plasencia denied conspiracy to distribute ketamine; seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two charges related to allegations he falsified documents during the investigation into Perry’s death.
Sangha also plead not guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine; maintaining a drug-involved premises; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Plasencia had been due in court on October 8th and October 15th for Sangha, however a Californian judge ruled the pair will face trial together on March 4th, with a pre-trial hearing set for February 19th, 2025.
According to the initial indictment, Plasencia is said to have conspired with fellow doctor Mark Chavez to supply Perry with large amounts of ketamine, writing in a message: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “let’s find out”.
Chavez, who remains free on bond, will next appear in court on October 2nd for a change-of-plea hearing after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors.
He is expected to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing in hit US sitcom Friends, died last autumn after receiving several injections of ketamine from his live-in assistant Iwamasa.
Iwamasa previously pleaded guilty on August 7th to conspiring to distribute ketamine causing death – admitting to “repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training”.
His sentencing has been set for November 6th.
During the last few weeks of his life, Perry “turned to street dealer” Erik Fleming who is said to have sourced ketamine from Sangha.
Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8th to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
He is set to be sentenced on October 30th.
Plasencia is currently on release after posting a $100,000 bond, while a judge denied bond for Sangha.