Doctor accused in Matthew Perry death investigation accepts plea deal, could face 10 years in prison
Mark Chavez, one of two doctors charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry, has accepted a plea deal and faces up to 10 years in prison when he’s sentenced, according to the Associated Press.
Chavez appeared at the Roybal Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles on Friday. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute when he admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Salvador Placencia, who allegedly gave the drugs to Perry’s longtime assistant Kenneth “Kenny” Iwamasa.
Iwamasa previously admitted he was the person who gave the “Friends” star a fatal dose of ketamine on October 28, 2023.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth ruled that the doctor would be released on a $50,000 unsecured bond with several conditions — one of which was that Chavez surrender his passport and medical license.
Chavez’s attorney, Matt Binninger, said the doctors are trying to “do everything in their power to correct the mistake” that resulted in Perry’s death.
“He’s doing everything in his power to cooperate, to help in this situation, and he’s incredibly remorseful,” he told the outlet, adding that “it’s a shame” what happened to the “universally beloved” Perry.
The lawyer further assured that his client would “do the right thing” and “cooperate moving forward.”
Binninger did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Perry underwent ketamine therapy for years to treat his depression. He once described the effects of the drug as “getting hit in the head with a giant happy shovel” in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.”
His death was caused by “the acute effects of ketamine use”, which caused him to drown.
In addition to Chavez and Iwamasa, authorities also arrested Placencia, his friend Eric Fleming, and proclaimed “ketamine queen” Jasveen Sangha for the actor’s death.
He was charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distributing ketamine resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute, as well as altering records and forgery.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was a great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting from Mr. Perry than they were concerned about his well-being,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said during a press conference following their arrests.
