In a Los Angeles federal courtroom, Dr. Salvador Plasencia received a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for his involvement in selling ketamine to the late Matthew Perry. The actor, best known for his role in “Friends,” had succumbed to an overdose, and while the ketamine from Plasencia wasn’t directly linked to Perry’s death, the court found his actions contributed to the actor’s struggles with addiction.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett delivered the sentence, which also includes a two-year probation period. She stressed that although Plasencia did not supply the lethal dose, his role in perpetuating Perry’s ketamine addiction was significant. “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction,” the judge stated, underlining the ethical breach in exploiting Perry’s vulnerability for financial gain.

As the verdict was announced, Plasencia was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs, a poignant scene marked by his mother’s audible distress. Despite having the option to arrange a later surrender, his legal team indicated that Plasencia was prepared to begin his sentence immediately.

“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit,” she said.

Plasencia was led from the courtroom in handcuffs as his mother cried loudly in the audience. He might have arranged a date to surrender, but his lawyers said he was prepared to do it today.

Perry’s mother and two half sisters gave tearful victim impact statements before the sentencing.

“The world mourns my brother,” Madeleine Morrison said. “He was everyone’s favorite friend.”

Plasencia was the first to be sentenced of the five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s death at age 54 in 2023.

The doctor admitted to taking advantage of Perry, knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasencia texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Prosecutors had asked for three years in prison, while the defense sought just a day in prison plus probation.

Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling to Perry and knowing he was a struggling addict. He texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Plasencia’s lawyers tried to give a sympathetic portrait of him as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients, some of whom provided testimonials about him for the court.

The attorneys called his selling to Perry “reckless” and “the biggest mistake of his life.”

Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine. Prosecutors agreed to drop five different counts. The agreement came with no sentencing guarantees, and legally Garnett can give him up to 40 years.

The other four defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months.

Perry died at age 54 in 2023 after struggling with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit.