Doctor Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry’s Death to Plead Guilty
One of the two doctors charged in connection with the death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry is set to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute the anesthetic drug ketamine.
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, from San Diego, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month. He will be the third person to plead guilty following Perry’s fatal overdose last year.
Chavez has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation of others involved, including the doctor he worked with to supply ketamine to Perry. Also assisting the U.S. attorney’s office are Perry’s assistant, who admitted to helping Perry obtain and use ketamine, and an acquaintance of the actor who confessed to acting as a middleman.
These individuals are aiding prosecutors in their case against Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, who authorities allege sold Perry the lethal dose. Both Plasencia and Sangha have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
In his plea agreement, Chavez admitted to obtaining ketamine from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription.
Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. He could face up to 10 years in prison when sentenced.
Matthew Perry was found dead by his assistant on October 28. The medical examiner determined that ketamine was the primary cause of death. Perry had been using the drug legally through his regular doctor as an off-label treatment for depression.
Seeking more ketamine than his doctor would prescribe, Perry turned to Plasencia about a month before his death. Plasencia then asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.
In a text message, Plasencia wrote to Chavez, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” The two met that day in Costa Mesa, between Los Angeles and San Diego, where they exchanged at least four vials of ketamine.
Plasencia sold the drugs to Perry for $4,500 and later asked Chavez if they could continue supplying Perry, aiming to become his “go-to” source.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, announcing the charges on August 15, said, “The doctors preyed on Perry’s history of addiction in the final months of his life, providing him with ketamine in amounts they knew were dangerous.”
Plasencia faces seven counts of distributing ketamine and two charges related to falsifying records after Perry’s death.
Plasencia and Sangha are due back in court next week, with separate trial dates set for October. However, prosecutors are seeking to merge the trials, which may be delayed until next year.
Matthew Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” where he became one of the most famous actors of his generation, playing Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s hit sitcom.