Doctor Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death Pleads Guilty
Dr. Mark Chavez, one of five people charged in connection with the drug-related death of Friends star Matthew Perry, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Chavez, 54, ran a ketamine clinic and admitted to supplying the drug to fellow doctor Salvador Plasencia, who then provided it to Perry.
The actor, who died in October 2023 at 54, was found to have high levels of ketamine in his system during the post-mortem examination. It was determined that the “acute effects” of the drug were his cause of death.
Perry had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety and became addicted to ketamine in the months leading to his death. According to report documents, he was taking ketamine six to eight times a day before he died.
Chavez and Plasencia, referred to in text messages as conspiring to charge Perry large sums for the drug, provided him with over $50,000 worth of ketamine acquired through Chavez’s former clinic and a wholesale distributor through a fraudulent prescription.
Chavez's plea deal could reduce his sentence due to his cooperation in the investigation, although he still faces up to 10 years in prison. He also agreed to surrender his medical licence and is free on bail until sentencing on 2nd April 2025.
Chavez is third of the five involved in the case to plead guilty
Chavez is the third person to plead guilty in the case. Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and acquaintance Erik Fleming also admitted to their roles in distributing ketamine. Fleming is due to be sentenced on 30th October.
Plasencia, however, has pleaded not guilty and is set to go to trial in March 2025. Jasveen Sangha, referred to in documents as the “Ketamine Queen”, is accused of running a ketamine-selling operation and will face trial alongside him. Plasencia is facing a maximum of 120 years in federal prison, and Sangha is facing life imprisonment.
