Dr charged in Matthew Perry's death pleads guilty
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Mark Chavez becomes the third of five defendants charged in connection with the "Friends" star's fatal overdose to agree to a plea deal.
By Ryan Coleman
A San Diego doctor charged in connection with Friends star Matthew Perry's death from a drug overdose has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine.
Mark Chavez, 54, entered the plea Wednesday morning in Los Angeles federal court, according to the Associated Press. He is the third of five defendants charged in the case to reach a plea deal with prosecutors and faces up to 10 years behind bars. His sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2025.
Chavez previously turned over his passport and surrendered his medical license, and is currently free after posting a $50,000 bond.
Matthew Perry in 2016
Matthew Perry in 2016. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28 and pronounced dead at the scene. He was 54. At the time, authorities said there was no indication of foul play. In December, an autopsy report revealed that Perry's death was caused by "the acute effects of ketamine," and that drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) were also contributing factors.
The autopsy report also noted that Perry had been receiving ketamine-infusion treatment around the time of his death, but because ketamine has a short half-life, the traces of the substance in his system couldn't have been from those treatment sessions.
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Federal prosecutors at Wednesday's hearing asserted that Chavez, who operated a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lozenges to another individual charged in the Perry case, Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Plasencia, known as "Dr. P," allegedly distributed the lozenges to Perry via two more Perry associates under indictment: Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of the actor's, and Kenneth Iwamasa, his assistant.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Fleming pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
According to an indictment from the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, Chavez "sold Plasencia orally administered ketamine lozenges that he obtained after writing a fraudulent prescription in a patient's name without her knowledge or consent, and lied to wholesale ketamine distributors to buy additional vials of liquid ketamine that Chavez intended to sell to Plasencia for distribution to Perry."
In a series of texts, Chavez and Plasencia allegedly conspired over how much to charge Perry, writing, "I wonder how much this moron will pay," and, "[Let's] find out."
'Friends' stars Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and David Schwimmer
'Friends' stars Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and David Schwimmer. Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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The major players in the Perry case, according to prosecutors, are Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a ketamine dealer known as the "ketamine queen" of North Hollywood. Plasencia has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine, and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to a federal investigation. Sangha has been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
If convicted, Plasencia faces up to 120 years in prison, and Sangha faces up to life imprisonment. They have both pleaded not guilty.
Chavez, Iwamasa, and Fleming are cooperating with prosecutors in building their case against Plasencia and Sangha, who are slated to stand trial beginning March 4, 2025.
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