California doctor Mark Chavez has entered a plea deal and pleaded guilty in federal court regarding his role in the accidental overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine after being discovered unresponsive in a pool at his home in Pacific Palisades.
Chavez, 54, pleaded guilty on October 2 in federal court in Los Angeles. He is one of five individuals charged in relation to Perry’s death.
Chavez admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry, acknowledging that he knowingly obtained the drug for the actor, who prosecutors stated had developed an addiction to it. Chavez’s attorney mentioned that he is cooperating with investigators and may become a witness in the upcoming trials of Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha next year. Plasencia has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, whilst Sangha, referred to by prosecutors as the “Ketamine Queen,” has denied nine charges, including conspiracy to distribute the drug and distribution resulting in death. Their trials are set for March 2025.
In his plea agreement, Chavez admitted to providing Plasencia with ketamine which was subsequently sold to Perry. He also confessed to submitting a fraudulent prescription to acquire the drug, writing a prescription in someone else’s name without their consent.
Court documents reveal a text exchange between Chavez and Plasencia from September 30, 2023. In it, Plasencia expressed curiosity about how much money Perry would pay for the drug. Chavez sold Plasencia at least four vials of liquid ketamine and some ketamine lozenges in September 2023. On the same day, Plasencia injected Perry with the drug and advised the actor’s assistant on how to administer it.
Further messages from October 2, 2023, revealed that Plasencia anticipated a meeting with Perry and discussed the possibility of future business. Chavez encouraged the sale of ketamine lozenges to Perry during this exchange. The court documents suggest that Chavez and Plasencia met on other occasions where Chavez sold multiple vials of ketamine.
Additionally, Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Erik Fleming, a friend of Perry’s, have also accepted plea deals and are awaiting sentencing.
Chavez’s attorney stated that Chavez feels deep remorse not only for what happened to Perry but also for the impact on a patient. He is attempting to rectify the situation.
Despite the plea deal, Chavez faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison as well as a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced on April 2, 2025. He is currently out on a $50,000 bond and has surrendered his passport and medical license.