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A doctor who admitted distributing ketamine to Friends icon Matthew Perry in the weeks leading up to his death has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. The ruling marks the first sentencing among the five people convicted in connection with the actor's 2023 overdose, which stunned fans around the world. The disgraced medic, Dr Salvador Plasencia, 43, was condemned in court as someone who preyed on Perry's lifelong struggle with addiction, with prosecutors accusing him of feeding "on the vulnerability" of the troubled star.

At one point, Plasencia even mocked the actor behind his back, asking a co-conspirator: "I wonder how much this moron will pay? Let's find out." Los Angeles federal court Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced him to two and a half years on Wednesday for his role in supplying Perry with ketamine throughout October 2023. Although Plasencia did not administer the fatal dose, the doctor witnessed Perry freeze up and suffer blood pressure spikes after he injected an earlier batch. Despite that alarming reaction, he still left additional vials for Perry's assistant to use - even though the assistant had no medical training.

Perry's mother, Suzanne, and stepfather, broadcaster Keith Morrison, submitted a powerful statement to the court, calling Plasencia "among the most culpable of all."

They wrote: "This doctor conspired to break his most important vows, repeatedly, sneaked through the night to meet his victim in secret.

For what, a few thousand dollars? So he could feed on the vulnerability of our son ... and crow, as he did so, with that revealing question: 'I wonder how much this moron will pay. Let's find out.'"

Perry's biological father, John, and stepmother, Debbie, also urged the judge to impose a tough sentence, telling Plasencia he didn't "deserve to hear our feelings" and condemning the doctor for "how you devastated our family contributing to the loss of Matthew, our only son."

Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distributing ketamine after striking a deal that saw an additional five charges dropped.

He surrendered his medical licence following the scandal and, according to his lawyer, has lost his practice, his reputation and suffered threats serious enough to force his wife and son to relocate to Arizona "for safety."

His attorney argued: "Remorse cannot begin to capture the pain, regret and shame that Mr. Plasencia feels," and suggested a prison sentence was not necessary.

Prosecutors saw it differently. They said Plasencia exploited Perry from the moment he learned the actor was seeking ketamine on 30 September 2023.

Court papers revealed he supplied "vial after vial" - 20 in total - selling them for $4,500 while knowing Perry's assistant was the one injecting him. At one point, he even enlisted mentor Dr Mark Chavez so they could become Perry's "go-to" suppliers.

Perry, who died on 28 October 2023, had long been open about his addiction struggles and had been receiving ketamine treatments legally for depression.

But as he sought more of the drug than his regular doctor would provide, he was connected to Plasencia - a decision that prosecutors say directly contributed to his fatal relapse.

The sentencing marks the first major turning point in the criminal case that followed the death of one of television's most beloved stars, whose portrayal of Chandler Bing made him one of the defining faces of 1990s TV. Four remaining defendants are still awaiting their fate.