A Los Angeles physician who admitted to illegally selling ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the weeks before the Friends star’s fatal overdose has been sentenced to 2½ years in federal prison, followed by two years of probation.
Judge Condemns Exploitation of Addiction
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett stressed that Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 44, did not supply the specific ketamine that killed Perry. However, she said his illegal sales contributed to the actor’s long struggle with addiction.
“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit,” Garnett told Plasencia, who was taken into custody immediately after sentencing.
Emotional Statements from Perry’s Family
Perry’s mother and half sisters spoke tearfully in court.
“The world mourns my brother,” his sister Madeleine Morrison said. “He was everyone’s favorite friend.”
Plasencia is the first of five defendants who have pleaded guilty in the case to receive sentencing.
Guilty Plea and Prosecutors’ Arguments
Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of ketamine distribution. Prosecutors said he knowingly took advantage of Perry, citing text messages in which he referred to the actor as someone who could be exploited. They asked for a three-year sentence, while the defense requested one day in custody and probation.
Though Plasencia’s attorneys portrayed him as a doctor who overcame hardship and was admired by patients, they acknowledged his conduct was “reckless” and “the biggest mistake of his life.”
Background on Perry’s Treatment
Perry, who struggled with addiction for decades, had been receiving ketamine legally as part of a treatment regimen for depression. When his primary doctor refused to increase his dosage, he sought the drug illegally from Plasencia, who admitted knowing Perry was vulnerable.
Federal prosecutors dropped five additional charges under the plea agreement, which carried no sentencing promises. Legally, the judge could have imposed up to 40 years.
What Comes Next
Four additional defendants who also reached plea deals are set to be sentenced in the coming months.
Perry died at age 54 in 2023. Beloved for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, he remained a cultural icon long after the show’s 10-season run from 1994 to 2004.
Starting Dec. 7, METRO’s IAH 500 Downtown Direct bus will operate from Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, moving from Terminal C. This change provides easier access for both international and domestic travelers, connecting directly to baggage claim and arrival areas.
Improved Accessibility and Convenience
Terminal E offers a covered driveway, dedicated bus lane, and clear signage, making it simpler for visitors to locate the bus, even during busy holiday periods. The wider roadway and dedicated bus space also reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
Service Highlights
While the terminal location has changed, all other service features remain:
Buses run every 30 minutes
$4.50 one-way fare
Comfortable buses with Wi-Fi and luggage storage
Reliable and affordable travel between IAH and Downtown Houston
Stay Informed
Travelers are encouraged to visit RideMETRO.org for updated terminal maps and additional information.
METRO thanks partners for helping share this update, ensuring a smooth travel experience for visitors this holiday season.
Houston’s historic Old Sixth Ward will come alive this December as MECA Houston, a community-based nonprofit arts organization, presents a series of free festive events honoring Mexican and Latin American holiday traditions. Located at 1900 Kane Street, MECA invites the public to celebrate Catholic faith, cultural heritage, and the spirit of community togetherness.
Fiesta Guadalupana – December 12
On Thursday, December 12, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., MECA will host its Fiesta Guadalupana, a vibrant celebration in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe. The evening will feature mariachi serenades and dance performances by MECA’s Ballet Folklórico. Guests can enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and pan dulce provided by El Bolillo Bakery. This event welcomes families and community members to join in the holiday festivities.
Noche Buena in the Arts District – December 13
Friday, December 13, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the Noche Buena in the Arts District Festival will highlight Houston’s dynamic arts scene. Attendees can enjoy performances by MECA Ballet Folklórico, live music, and a curated market of local artisans offering handmade goods. The event also includes an arts and crafts section, seasonal treats, and raffle prizes. Noche Buena offers a festive evening of culture, creativity, and community connection.
La Posada in the Old Sixth Ward – December 16
MECA will recreate the traditional La Posada on Monday, December 16, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., guiding participants through Mary and Joseph’s journey in search of shelter. The event features live music, complimentary pan dulce and hot chocolate from El Bolillo Bakery, and provides a reflective, communal experience for attendees to walk together and celebrate the season.
El Nacimiento: Ángeles, Pastores y Migrantes – December 8 to January 10
Complementing the holiday events, MECA will present its December exhibition, El Nacimiento: Ángeles, Pastores y Migrantes, curated by Victor Ancheta and Luis Gavito. The exhibition showcases a variety of Nacimientos and artistic interpretations of the Holy Family and El Santo Niño, blending Spanish Colonial and Indigenous cultural traditions. Visitors can explore the exhibition Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted to distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry weeks before his death, is set to be sentenced Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court. Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of ketamine distribution and is the first of five people convicted in connection with Perry’s fatal 2023 overdose.
Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. An autopsy attributed his death to the acute effects of ketamine.
Details of Plasencia’s Conduct
Plasencia, who ran an urgent care clinic in Malibu, distributed 20 vials of ketamine and ketamine lozenges to Perry and his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, between Sept. 30 and Oct. 12, 2023, according to his plea agreement. The agreement states the drugs were not provided for legitimate medical purposes, and Plasencia’s care fell below the standard expected of a physician.
Plasencia’s attorneys acknowledged his mistakes, noting he was not treating Perry at the time of his death and did not provide the ketamine that caused the overdose. They described the episode as a serious lapse in judgment and said he has already faced significant professional and personal consequences, including losing his medical license and clinic.
Government Recommendation and Evidence of Misconduct
Prosecutors recommended a 36-month prison sentence, arguing Plasencia “sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.” The government cited text messages in which Plasencia joked about how much Perry would pay for treatment and pointed to instances where he left ketamine with Iwamasa to administer, even after Perry experienced adverse reactions.
The plea agreement also notes that Plasencia consulted with another doctor, Mark Chavez, to acquire additional ketamine vials and lozenges.
Other Defendants in the Case
Four other individuals involved in Perry’s ketamine use have also pleaded guilty:
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant, admitted to administering the drug and faces sentencing on Jan. 14, 2026.
Mark Chavez, a former ketamine clinic operator, is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 17, 2025.
Erik Fleming and Jasveen Sangha, who supplied the ketamine that caused Perry’s death, are scheduled for sentencing in early 2026. Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen,” faces a maximum of 65 years in prison.
The government maintains that Plasencia’s actions, while not directly causing Perry’s death, contributed to the circumstances that led to the actor’s fatal overdose.
Looking Ahead
Plasencia’s sentencing will mark the first resolution in a case that drew national attention due to the involvement of the late “Friends” star. Courts will continue to address the remaining defendants over the next few months, highlighting the legal consequences of distributing controlled substances that result in death.
The Houston Health Department has launched the SAFEWatch Houston dashboard, a new public tool that tracks firearm-related injuries across the city. The initiative, led by Councilwoman Abbie Kamin, cost $300,000 in taxpayer funds, including $60,000 from Kamin’s office. While other cities like Philadelphia have similar public dashboards, this is the first time Houston residents have access to this level of real-time gun violence data.
What the Dashboard Shows
SAFEWatch pulls reports from three Level I trauma centers and compiles data on shootings and gun-related injuries. Since 2019, the platform has recorded 18,349 firearm-related ER visits, including 286 children under age 10. Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 of this year alone, the system logged 454 gun-related deaths, with 261 classified as homicides.
Kamin said local health leaders will meet regularly to review trends and develop targeted interventions. She emphasized that the data can guide efforts like pediatric safety screenings or distributing gun locks in zip codes with high rates of unintentional child shootings.
“Just to paint the picture for each of us,” Kamin said, “when a 4-year-old finds an unsecured gun at a friend’s house and pulls the trigger, if that child isn’t killed, they’re rushed to the hospital and provided with lifesaving care. That child will eventually go home, experiencing long-term, indescribable trauma, and their family, along with taxpayers, incur astronomical medical expenses. Often, as a city, we may never even know the injury happened.”
Data Highlights: Children and Unintentional Injuries
According to SAFEWatch, in 2025 alone:
1,874 people visited emergency departments with firearm-related injuries
505 were treated at trauma centers
454 people died from gun-related injuries
While hospitalizations requiring intensive care have declined since 2021, the dashboard shows that unintentional shootings involving children and young adults are on the rise. Kamin noted that SAFEWatch exposes a roughly 70% gap between hospital visits and police reports, revealing hundreds of injuries that previously went untracked.
A Step Toward Accountability and Prevention
Experts say SAFEWatch could guide targeted interventions in high-risk neighborhoods, from educational programs to gun safety initiatives. Regular updates to the dashboard aim to help city officials and community organizations respond more effectively to trends in gun violence, particularly unintentional injuries affecting children.
What’s Next
SAFEWatch will refresh its data four times a year, with current numbers updated through Sept. 30. City leaders hope the tool provides a clearer picture of gun violence in Houston and helps shape more effective solutions.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Our next weather system is quickly approaching and will bring a cool, cloudy and wet end of the work week with rounds of rain between Wednesday night and Friday morning.
Temperatures will again start off cold this morning, and while you might be lucky enough to get a little morning sunshine, the low clouds returning from the Gulf will quickly blot out the sun. The Gulf breeze will push in milder air, warming temperatures into the 60s for most, but some communities north of Houston may not make it out of the 50s if the clouds are thicker than expected. Scattered showers are expected to develop in the afternoon and evening as the rain chance grows to 90% at night. The rain chance will peak with the arrival of our next cold front early Thursday morning.
Any severe weather or storms expected with this next rainy system?
Not necessarily this time. Generally this is a manageable, rainy system that our drought conditions will thank us for. However, some of these showers could grow and intensify into weak thunderstorms, bringing locally heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning late Wednesday night that make up and your family up. There’s also the chance we see a few local flood alerts with minor street and area flooding possible mainly south of I-10 along the coast Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
How long will the rain chances and clouds stick around this time?
The rain chances will linger all the way into Saturday morning, and we won’t completely shake the clouds until sometime on Sunday. Thursday won’t be a washout, but there’s a 60% chance you’ll get some rain off and on through the day under an overcast sky. The rain chance drops a little more down to a 40% chance of showers on Friday. It now looks like some of that rain could linger into Saturday morning, so we ‘ve introduced a small chance of rain while we get a better handle on the timing for your planning purposes.
How much rain should we expect to get?
We expect 1-2″ of rain to be fairly common in Southeast Texas with the 2″ totals more likely in our coastal counties.
BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, is joining the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s national Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope event from Dec. 1–15, 2025. The initiative aims to help more pets find homes during a time when shelters nationwide are stretched to capacity.
Reduced Adoption Fees
Thanks to BISSELL Pet Foundation’s sponsorship, BARC is offering significantly lowered fees during the two-week event:
$50 for puppies four months or younger
$20 for dogs five months and older
$10 for all cats and kittens
All adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, dewormer, flea prevention, a microchip and a one-year City of Houston pet registration.
To give more families a chance to adopt, BARC will open on Mondays during the event—typically a closed day. Adoption hours will run 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 3300 Carr St.
Helping Pets During a Challenging Year
Shelters nationwide have experienced increased surrenders due to financial strain and housing instability, said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. She emphasized that adopting a shelter pet offers families an affordable, meaningful alternative to buying from breeders or pet stores.
BARC Shelter Director Jarrad Mears added that reducing fees and expanding hours makes adoption possible for more households: “A loving home is the greatest gift a pet can receive.”
National Impact
Empty the Shelters is the largest funded adoption event in the country, helping more than 374,000 pets find homes since 2016. Participating shelters set their own adoption procedures, and all pets come spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
Houston families interested in adopting are encouraged to contact BARC directly for details.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Around one million people in southeast Texas are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to fuel a healthy lifestyle. That’s why we need your help during ABC13’s Share Your Holidays food drive today on Giving Tuesday to make sure our neighbors don’t go hungry.
While those benefits have been restored, the Houston Food Bank is one of those groups that quickly answered the call to make sure impacted families didn’t miss a meal.
Still, that doesn’t mean the need has ended. In fact, the food bank says there is need year-round and certainly not just if there’s a disaster.
That said, there are easy ways to help our neighbors through the ABC13 Share Your Holidays Drive if you’re in a position to do so.
Ways to Give
– Text “SYH2025” to 71777 – Scan the QR code seen on-air during Share Your Holidays stories – Visit the 2025 SYH fundraising page online
What started as an idea to put a food drive on TV for an hour has morphed into a Houston-area wide event going strong 45 years later as the ABC13 Share Your Holidays Food Drive.
Since 1980, the year the drive launched at ABC13, millions upon millions of cans of food have been collected through Share Your Holidays.
So, no matter what happens next, Share Your Holidays will continue with its same mission to serve.
You can watch our 2024 ABC13 Share Your Holidays Drive below.
Houston Oilers superstar Earl Campbell and teammate Tim Wilson were so moved by the occasion, they arrived at the station with bags of groceries.
Both men spent the day with ABC13 personally thanking donors as they dropped off food, and what was supposed to last an hour turned into a daylong event.
That spirit of generosity in southeast Texas continues.
This year, join Eyewitness News all day long now through 6 p.m. today on Giving Tuesday. You can watch our one hour live special on ABC13 and wherever you stream us on that day from 9-10 a.m.
Once again, it’s about foodraising and fundraising.
Remember, every $1 you give helps provide three meals for people in need.
All donations stay in our local communities, helping the Houston Food Bank serve our neighbors in 18 counties through their 1,600 community partners.
The foodraising, often the most fun part, happens through dropping off donations at any one of our eight drive-thru locations listed below
Drop-Off Locations (Hours Vary)
Houston
Houston Food Bank – Portwall 535 Portwall St. Houston, TX 77029 Hours: Now – 6 p.m.
Baytown
Baytown Fire and Rescue 4723 Garth Rd. Baytown, Texas 77521-2137 Hours: Now – 5 p.m.
Galveston
Galveston ISD Ball HS 4115 Avenue O Galveston, Texas 77550 Hours: Now – Noon
Spring
Spring Ismaili Jamatkhana 24525 Community Center Dr. Spring, TX 77389 Hours: Now – 2 p.m.
Richmond/Rosenberg
VFW Hall Post 3903 1903 1st St., Rosenberg, Texas 77471 Hours: Now. – 4 p.m.
Water Sports drinks Shelf-stable milk Shelf-stable juice (low sugar)
What does food insecurity look like through Houston and in Texas?
Around one million people in southeast Texas are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to fuel a healthy lifestyle, according to the Houston Food Bank.
An FY ’24 report from the food bank also notes that 1 in 5 people in its service area is food insecure and that can mean having to make difficult choices such as skipping meals to pay bills or not going to medical appointments.
In addition, food insecurity can have many faces.
According to the report, 85% of food insecure homes have a working adult. Seventy-two percent of the people the food bank serves are homeowners.
Kinder’s report found that 39% of Houston and Harris County households are food insecure, significantly exceeding the national average of 14%. Other key findings in Kinder’s report were that household food insecurity is highest among Black (53%) and Hispanic (47%) residents, as well as households earning less than $35,000 annually (59%).
Hispanic women endure the largest gender gap in household food insecurity, the Kinder Institute said.
The situation is just as serious statewide.
Feeding Texas, a member of Feeding America, says that Texas has the highest food insecurity population in the nation, with 5.3 million Texans facing food insecurity.
Feeding Texas is a statewide network of food banks and the largest hunger-relief network in the Lone Star State.
Texas has the highest rate of senior food insecurity in the nation with 13.6% of Texas seniors at risk for hunger, while 22.2%, or 1 in 5 Texas children, experience hunger, according to Feeding Texas.
Rural Texans also often face higher rates of food insecurity due to the unique challenges of living remotely such as lack of transportation, low wages and underemployment.
Feeding Texas also reports that one in four Latinos are experiencing food insecurity. The overall food insecurity rate for Latinos in Texas is 24%.
With the need only continuing to grow, ABC13 hopes to exceed our 2013 record of 1,627,115 meals, with Share Your Holidays donations being accepted through New Year’s Eve.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
Tania Nemer in Akron, Ohio on Oct. 9.Sue Ogrocki / AP
The firings occur as the Department of Homeland Security actively recruits “deportation judges” to address a backlog of more than 3.7 million immigration cases. Nemer’s attorneys contend the Justice Department’s stated reasons for her dismissal — including minor driving infractions and old tax matters — were misleading and unrelated. They are seeking reinstatement, a declaration that her rights were violated, and compensatory damages.
Immigrant advocates warn that removing experienced judges could slow immigration proceedings and further strain the system.
The Prada Group has officially acquired Milan rival Versace in a $1.375 billion cash deal, bringing together Prada’s minimalist “ugly chic,” Miu Miu’s youthful edge, and Versace’s bold glamour under one luxury umbrella. The acquisition follows all required regulatory approvals.
Versace Set for a Relaunch
The deal is expected to revive Versace after years of uneven performance under Capri Holdings, which will use the sale proceeds to pay down debt. Donatella Versace celebrated the announcement on Instagram, posting a tribute to her late brother, Gianni Versace, and welcoming the brand’s new chapter with Prada.
Leadership and Creative Direction
Prada heir Lorenzo Bertelli will guide Versace as executive chairman while maintaining his group roles in marketing and sustainability. He has no immediate plans for major leadership changes but acknowledged Versace has long underperformed despite being one of the world’s most recognized fashion brands.
Versace is currently undergoing a creative reset under designer Dario Vitale, who debuted his first collection in September during Milan Fashion Week.
Market Impact and Revenue Breakdown
Capri Holdings originally bought Versace for $2 billion in 2018. Versace accounted for 20% of Capri’s 2024 revenue. Under the Prada Group, the brand is expected to make up 13% of combined pro-forma revenues, while Prada accounts for 64% and Miu Miu for 22%.
Expanding Italian Manufacturing
Prada has already begun integrating Versace into its Italian production network, emphasizing shared craftsmanship across brands. The group continues to invest heavily in its manufacturing base, including new leather goods and knitwear factories and an expanded artisan training academy that has produced hundreds of skilled workers.
With the acquisition now complete, Prada aims to unlock what it calls Versace’s “significant untapped growth potential” and usher the iconic brand into a new era.
