Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a physician with 15 years of experience in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, is involved in a high-profile case following the tragic demise of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Salvador Plasencia faces charges related to ket*mine distribution in Matthew Perry’s death.
- He is facing up to 10 years in prison per dr*g charge and up to 20 years for falsifying records.
- Plasencia’s defense claims he acted with medical intent, while prosecutors argue he exploited Perry’s addiction for financial gain.
Born and raised in California, Dr. Salvador Plasencia graduated from Arroyo High School in El Monte before pursuing higher education at the University of California, Riverside, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences.
He then obtained his Doctorate of Medicine from UCLA Medical School in 2010.
After his medical training, he completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa.
Dr. Plasencia is fluent in English and Spanish, with a career spanning various medical specialties.
He has served as an Emergency Room physician and has extensive experience in urgent care.
He is now the physician lead at Malibu Canyon Urgent Care and works with TeliMedi, a telehealth company based in Thousand Oaks, California.
Known for providing comprehensive care to patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, Plasencia has not faced any prior disciplinary actions in his career.
Despite his established medical career, Dr. Plasencia now faces serious legal challenges.
He was arrested on August 15 and charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ket*mine, seven counts of ket*mine distribution, and two counts of falsifying records in connection with the investigation into Matthew Perry’s demise.
The indictment alleges that Plasencia, known as “Dr. P,” used encrypted messaging apps and coded language to facilitate illegal dr*g deals.
He reportedly referred to bottles of ketamine as “Dr. Pepper,” “cans,” and “bots” in his communications.
Prosecutors claim that Plasencia arranged for the dr*gs to be delivered to Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who has also been charged in the case.
Text exchanges between Plasencia and Chavez allegedly reveal Plasencia referring to Perry as a “moron” and expressing a desire to exploit the actor’s addiction.
One message allegedly read, “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” followed by, “Let’s find out.“
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, who announced the charges, stated that the defendants took advantage of Perry’s struggles with addiction for financial gain.
If convicted, Plasencia faces up to 10 years in prison for each ket*mine-related charge and up to 20 years for the records falsification charges.
He pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance and was released on a $100,000 bond.
His attorney, Stefan Sacks, defended his client, stating that Plasencia believed he was acting with medical intentions and did not expect harm from his actions.
However, prosecutors allege that Plasencia’s involvement directly contributed to Perry’s demise.
As the case progresses, the once highly respected physician faces the possibility of significant prison time and the potential loss of his medical license, which is set to expire in October.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Dr. Salvador Plasencia’s coach and mentor, Mark C, says, “He is inquisitive and clever, and he is a committed lifelong learner and teacher.”
- His appointments are available in patientfusion.
