Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, from San Diego, made his first appearance in a federal court in Los Angeles on Friday after reaching a plea agreement in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry. Chavez agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine, a surgical anaesthetic and will cooperate with prosecutors in their ongoing investigation. He is the third person to plead guilty in the case following Perry’s fatal overdose last year.
Chavez’s plea deal requires him to assist prosecutors in their efforts to pursue other individuals involved, including Dr Salvador Plasencia, who is charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry, and Jasveen Sangha, accused of providing the lethal dose of the drug. Both Plasencia and Sangha have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
During the court hearing, Chavez acknowledged his rights and agreed to several restrictions, including turning over his passport and medical license. He could face up to 10 years in prison when sentenced.
Chavez admitted to obtaining ketamine through fraudulent means from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor. The case involves allegations that the doctors exploited Perry’s history of addiction by providing him with dangerous amounts of ketamine, which contributed to his death.
Perry, found dead on October 28, had been using ketamine as an off-label treatment for depression. Chavez’s plea deal also involves his cooperation with authorities investigating how the drug was distributed and used in Perry’s case.
Plasencia, charged with seven counts of ketamine distribution and two related to falsified records, and Sangha are scheduled to appear in court next week. Prosecutors are seeking to combine their trials, which may be postponed to next year.
