Among the five people charged in connection with the passing of Matthew Perry, a doctor has pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine before the actor’s fatal overdose.
Dr. Mark Chavez entered the guilty plea during an appearance in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 2.
His sentencing is scheduled for April, 2025, and he could face up to 10 years in prison.
Highlights
- Dr. Mark Chavez pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine in connection with Matthew Perry's fatal overdose.
- His sentencing is scheduled for April, 2025, and he could face up to 10 years in prison.
- Mark is one of five people charged in connection with the actor's passing and is the third to plead guilty.
- Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia previously pleaded not guilty to charges against them, and their trial is scheduled to begin in March next year.
Dr. Mark Chavez pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine in the case related to Matthew Perry's overdose death
Image credits: Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Aged 54, the doctor from San Diego is the third person to plead guilty in connection with the FRIENDS star’s overdose death in October last year.
Mark was accused of providing ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plasencia—another physician who previously pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the case.
As part of the plea agreement, Mark confessed that he used to take ketamine and other prescription drugs from the ketamine infusion clinic he used to worked for.
Out of five people charged, the San Diego doctor, 54, is the third person to plead guilty in the case
In the lead-up to Matthew’s death, the actor had been using ketamine prescribed by his regular doctor to treat his depression. However, he began seeking more ketamine and got in touch with Salvador, who then contacted Mark.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” read a text from Salvador to Mark.
Once they sold the drug to the Fools Rush In actor, Salvador allegedly asked Mark if he could continue supplying ketamine so that they could become the “go-to” contact for the Hollywood star.
Matthew’s personal live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, also played a role in providing and injecting his boss with ketamine.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” read a text Dr. Mark Chavez received from the second accused physician, Dr. Salvador Plasencia
Image credits: Matthew Perry Foundation
The assistant was accused of getting in touch with another acquaintance, Eric Fleming, who then contacted the “ketamine queen” Jasveen Sangha.
Prosecutors have accused Jasveen of using her home, the “Sangha Stash House” in North Hollywood, to “store, package and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine,” according to the indictment.
Jasveen was accused of providing Eric with more ketamine, which eventually made its way to the onscreen veteran’s house and was injected into his body by his own assistant, Kenneth.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia and “ketamine queen” Jasveen Sangha pleaded not guilty to the respective charges against them and will appear for their trial next year
“It’s unmarked but it’s amazing — he take one and try it and I have more if he likes,” read a text sent from Jasveen to Eric.
Eric had even sent a screenshot of the same text to Kenneth and wrote: “(J)ust got this from my person. She only deal(s) with high end and celebs. If it were not great stuff she’d lose her business.”
Following the investigation, Kenneth pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, whereas Eric pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
"He's incredibly remorseful for what happened — not just because it happened to Matthew Perry but because it happened to a patient," Dr. Mark Chavez's attorney said in August
Jasveen and Salvador pleaded not guilty to charges against them, and their trial is scheduled to begin in March next year.
Mark, who pleaded guilty this week, surrendered his medical license as part of the plea agreement.
"He's incredibly remorseful for what happened — not just because it happened to Matthew Perry but because it happened to a patient," his attorney, Matthew Binninger, told reporters in August. "He's trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here."