A San Diego doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, has pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine in connection with the drug overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. This case has shed light on the dangers of ketamine abuse in prescription practices.
Matthew Perry, known for his role in “Friends,” was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. A medical examiner later determined that ketamine was the primary cause of his death.
In addition to Dr. Chavez, five people have been charged in relation to Perry’s death. These include Kenneth Iwamasa (Perry’s live-in assistant), Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Eric Fleming (an acquaintance of Perry), and Jasveen Sangha (referred to as “The Ketamine Queen” in court documents).
Two other defendants besides Dr. Chavez have already pleaded guilty: Iwamasa admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training and Fleming admitted to distributing ketamine resulting in death.
Dr. Chavez has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as they pursue more serious charges against Plasencia, who is alleged to have directly given ketamine to Perry.
Plasencia faces seven counts of distributing ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents related to the investigation into Perry’s death. Sangha has been charged with various counts related to conspiracy and distribution of ketamine.
During court proceedings, Dr. Chavez confessed that he supplied 22 vials of ketamine and nine lozenges using fraudulent prescriptions.
Chavez’s attorney stated that his client is accepting responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty.
While facing a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, cooperating with prosecutors may result in a reduced sentence for Dr. Chavez.
All five defendants were charged on August 15th through an 18-count indictment which carries severe penalties if convicted.
U.S Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized during a press conference that those involved in selling dangerous drugs will be held accountable for any deaths caused by their actions.
