One of two doctors charged in connection with Friends actor Matthew Perry‘s overdose death pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine on Wednesday.
Mark Chavez, 54, entered his guilty plea during an appearance in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The San Diego-based physician told the judge he’d illegally distributed ketamine, a commonly used surgical anesthetic, for personal financial gain.
After Wednesday’s hearing, Chavez’s lawyer told reporters his client has taken the investigation “incredibly seriously” and has “accepted responsibility.”
“He admitted a lot of facts on the record. He’s cooperating with the government,” lawyer Matthew Binninger said.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends, died on Oct. 28, 2023, from the acute effects of ketamine. He was discovered unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles. Perry was 54.
Chavez faces up to 10 years in prison. He has already surrendered his medical licence.
Chavez in August initially pleaded not guilty, but later signed an agreement with prosecutors. In exchange for lesser charges, Chavez agreed to cooperate with authorities as they targeted another doctor and an alleged dealer, known as the “Ketamine Queen” of Los Angeles, in connection with Perry’s death.
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Salvador Plasencia has been charged with illegally supplying ketamine to Perry, while alleged dealer Jasveen Sangha has been accused of selling the actor the lethal dose. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Sangha faces nine charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Chavez is the third person to plead guilty in connection with Perry’s death. He has been released on bond.
A lawyer for Chavez in August said he is “incredibly remorseful” about Perry’s death and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here.”
Chavez formerly operated a ketamine clinic, where he told prosecutors he obtained the drug from a wholesale distributor via a fraudulent prescription. He said he sold ketamine to Plasencia, who authorities allege provided them to Perry’s personal assistant.
Prosecutors said both Chavez and Plasencia knew Perry struggled with drug addiction.
In an indictment released in August, prosecutors said the doctors conspired to sell ketamine to Perry for great profit.
The filing included text messages between Chavez and Plasencia about how much to charge Perry for ketamine. Court filings claim Plasencia contacted Chavez about obtaining ketamine to sell Perry.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia said in a text message to Chavez, according to the indictment. “Lets [sic] find out.”
Chavez’s sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2025.
He is one of five people to be charged in connection with Perry’s overdose.
Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, told officials he obtained the drugs and administered ketamine to Perry on the day the actor died. An acquaintance of Perry’s, Eric Fleming, said he provided Iwamasa ketamine as a middleman for Sangha.
Both Iwamasa and Fleming have entered into agreements with prosecutors and have pleaded guilty.
Prior to his death, Perry had been undergoing legal ketamine therapy for depression, but sought out more of the drug for illicit, personal use, officials said.
An autopsy determined the actor had about 3.54 micrograms per millilitre of ketamine in his bloodstream at the time of his death, nearly three times the amount normally prescribed.
What is ketamine?
Ketamine, while lethal in large doses, has become an increasingly popular treatment for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When infused at a low dose, research suggests ketamine can stimulate the regrowth of synapses within the brain.
Ketamine clinics are popping up all over Canada and the U.S. If abused, the drug can cause adverse physical and mental symptoms, including hallucination, stroke and heart attack. It is controlled in Canada under Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
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