Doctor Appeals 30-Month Sentence in Ketamine Distribution Case
A physician convicted of distributing ketamine has asked a federal appeals court to reduce his prison term. The appeal argues the original sentence treated him as a medical professional when his conduct resembled that of a supplier.
New York PostA doctor convicted of distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry has asked a federal appeals court to overturn his 30-month prison sentence. The appeal states that the sentencing judge improperly treated the defendant as a physician who betrayed a patient's trust.
Court documents indicate the argument centers on the claim that Perry sought a reliable source of the drug rather than legitimate medical treatment. Lawyers for the defendant maintain that his conduct should be viewed as comparable to other individuals convicted in the same case who received shorter sentences.
The filing also challenges the inclusion of record-alteration allegations in the sentencing calculation. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution. Prosecutors had alleged he supplied the drug in the weeks before Perry's death.
The appeal compares the defendant's role to that of two other individuals convicted in the case. It argues the 30-month term creates an unfair disparity with sentences given to those defendants. The filing does not dispute the underlying guilty plea. It focuses instead on the length of the sentence and the factors used to determine it.
