Officials announced on Thursday that two doctors are among five individuals facing charges linked to the death of Matthew Perry, the “Friends” star.

Perry, who was 54, was found unresponsive in his swimming pool last year, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified “the acute effects of ketamine” as the cause of his death.

Experts told YSL News that while it is possible for doctors to face criminal charges in overdose cases, such instances are typically uncommon due to the large number of practicing physicians in the U.S. Most legal actions taken against doctors generally stem from the ongoing opioid crisis.

“This is a unique and tragic situation,” remarked Dr. Caleb Alexander, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Drs. Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez of Southern California are accused of conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry while exploiting his addiction for their financial gain, according to prosecutors. Additionally, three others face charges: Jasveen Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood; Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant; and Eric Fleming, who admitted to supplying the ketamine that led to Perry’s death.

What Are the Accusations Against the Doctors?

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated during a press briefing that the two physicians were significant players in Perry’s tragic demise and “took advantage” of his well-known battle with addiction to profit from his situation.

Dr. Plasencia, 42, faces charges for conspiracy to distribute ketamine, alongside seven counts of distributing the drug and two counts of record falsification.

Dr. Chavez, aged 54 and from San Diego, has agreed to plead guilty to one of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. According to prosecutors, he sold the drug to Plasencia and created a fraudulent prescription under another unwitting patient’s name to acquire more ketamine for resale to Plasencia, intended for Perry.

Prosecutors detailed that Plasencia, residing in Santa Monica, learned about Perry’s desire to buy ketamine—which is primarily used as an anesthetic and needs cautious oversight—and collaborated with Chavez to secure substantial quantities. He allegedly instructed Perry and his assistant Iwamasa on how to inject him with the substance and even administered it to Perry personally, including reportedly once in a parked vehicle.

In a message to Chavez, Plasencia reportedly said, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” He continued to dispense ketamine to Perry even after noticing that Perry’s dependence was “spiraling out of control,” prosecutors claimed.

“Dr. Plasencia and Dr. Chavez breached their medical oath. Instead of adhering to ‘do no harm,’ they inflicted harm for monetary gain,” stated Anne Milgram, who leads the Drug Enforcement Administration.

How Often Do Doctors Face Criminal Charges?

This situation is reminiscent of the case of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician for Michael Jackson, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter following Jackson’s death due to a lethal dose of propofol in 2009.

However, Adam Gershowitz, a law professor at William & Mary, noted that most drug overdose cases typically involve doctors treating regular individuals rather than celebrities. High-profile cases can push prosecutors to carry out extensive investigations.

“Generally, these cases arise not from a famous person’s death but because the U.S. Attorney’s Office is already pursuing doctors for illegal drug sales and related fatalities,” Gershowitz explained.

Criminal charges against physicians remain rare, predominantly linked to the opioid crisis, which has led to increased scrutiny of doctors overprescribing medication while illegally manufactured fentanyl dominates the street drug market.

Since 2014, over 4,200 doctors have faced criminal charges related to drug offenses, coinciding with the rise of illicit fentanyl in the U.S., contributing to tens of thousands of opioid-related deaths each year. This data comes from an analysis by Tony Yang, a George Washington University professor focusing on health policy.

Yang revealed to YSL News that the number of doctors charged has decreased in recent years. The DEA took action against 479 physicians in 2016. This figure declined to 447 in 2021 and further to 391 in 2022, and down to 330 in 2023.

In 2015, Dr. Hsiu Ying “Lisa” Tseng became the first U.S. physician convicted of murder for prescribing drugs that directly led to three patients’ fatal overdoses. Other notable cases include Dr. Martin Tesher, found guilty in 2017 for illegally distributing oxycodone in Brooklyn, resulting in a fatal overdose. A doctor from Manhattan also faced charges,

Gordon Freedman received a prison sentence of over 17 years in 2021 due to drug-related offenses, particularly for distributing oxycodone and fentanyl without any medical justification. Tragically, one of his patients died as a result.

The Complexities of Prosecuting a Physician

When authorities consider prosecuting a physician for drug offenses, they must establish not only that the doctor dispensed the medications but also that there was no valid medical justification for doing so. This presents a significant challenge in meeting the high standard of proof required for conviction, according to legal expert Gershowitz. Physicians often argue that their prescriptions were necessary based on the symptoms reported by their patients. Frequently, a physician might lose their medical license without facing criminal charges, he added.

Typically, charges are filed only in instances of particularly serious misconduct, Alexander pointed out. This could involve a physician who sees many patients in one day without dedicating enough time to evaluate each adequately, yet continues to prescribe high-risk medications; engages in substantial cash transactions during appointments; or maintains poor records.

For example, George Blatti, a physician from Nassau County, New York, was sentenced to as long as 15 years in prison earlier this year for second-degree manslaughter after his excessive opioid prescriptions contributed to the deaths of five patients. Prosecutors highlighted that he prescribed large quantities of pills to patients, some of whom he neither examined nor met. He would hold meetings with patients in his car and wrote prescriptions while parked near the hotel he resided in or at a Dunkin’ Donuts.

In contrast, ketamine cases differ from opioid cases, Alexander noted. While opioids have numerous appropriate medical uses, ketamine is primarily used for anesthesia, affecting one’s consciousness, mood, behavior, and cognitive function.

Alexander emphasized the significance of the charges against the doctors accused of distributing ketamine to Perry.

“These cases have two main functions: firstly, a well-functioning legal system must ensure that individuals are held responsible,” he explained. “Secondly, it is crucial for deterring others from exceeding reasonable care standards.”