Yahoo News Matthew Perry’s Death: Indicted Dr. Mark Chavez Pleads Guilty
A doctor charged with counts related to Matthew Perry’s death pled guilty in court Wednesday.
Dr. Mark Chavez pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, TMZ reports. His sentence could be up to 10 years in prison; sentencing will take place in 2025.
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Chavez was among those indicted in August for providing the ketamine that caused the Friends actor’s death.
Perry died in October 2023 from the “acute effects of ketamine,” per the official autopsy report that was released months later. Perry had taken ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety roughly 10 days prior to his death. However, the report noted that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”
Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, Chavez and Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming all were charged with multiple counts including conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Also charged: Jasveen Sangha, allegedly known as “the Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, aka “Dr. P.”
Federal charges brought against the five defendants included conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, maintaining drug-involved premises, altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation, and multiple other drug trafficking counts.
Per TMZ, Iwamasa, Fleming and Chavez took plea deals. Sangha and Plasencia have pled not guilty; their trials are scheduled to take place in October.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” said E. Martin Estrada, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, at a press conference held following the indictments (watch video above). “They knew what they were doing was wrong… In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing.
“By filing these extensive and serious charges, we are sending a clear message,” he added. “If you are in the business of selling dangerous drugs, we will hold you accountable for the deaths you cause.”
Perry was discovered unresponsive in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles-area home on Oct. 28, 2023. Two days later, Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said in joint statement that they were “utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” adding, “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
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