Dr. Mark Chavez, one of two physicians charged in connection to the death of actor Matthew Perry, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine. The 54-year-old entered his plea on October 2 in a federal court in Los Angeles. Chavez was arrested alongside Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen” in North Hollywood, as part of an investigation into Perry’s tragic passing.
Chavez now faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for April 2, 2025, according to NBC News. The indictment reveals that Chavez obtained ketamine by writing a fraudulent prescription in a patient’s name without her knowledge or consent. He also deceived wholesale ketamine distributors to acquire additional vials, intending to sell them to Plasencia for distribution to Perry.
Chavez’s attorney, Matthew Binninger, stated that his client feels “remorseful” for his role in Perry’s accidental overdose and is “accepting responsibility” for his actions.
Earlier this summer, charges were read against five defendants, including Chavez, Plasencia, Sangha, Erik Fleming, and Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. The United States Attorney’s Office, along with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram, emphasized that each defendant played a significant role in Perry’s death through the fraudulent prescribing, selling, or injecting of ketamine. Milgram stated, “Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.”
Text messages exchanged between Plasencia and Chavez before Perry’s death revealed troubling sentiments, including Plasencia’s comment, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
Perry was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023, nearly one year prior to Chavez’s guilty plea. The coroner’s report indicated that Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, but at the time of his death, the ketamine levels in his body were alarmingly high.
The beloved actor, known for his role in *Friends*, had long struggled with addiction, candidly sharing his journey to recovery in his 2022 memoir, *Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing*. His tragic passing has highlighted the darker sides of substance abuse and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in prescribing treatment.
In other news –
Dr. Mark Chavez, one of two physicians charged in connection to the death of actor Matthew Perry, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine. The 54-year-old entered his plea on October 2 in a federal court in Los Angeles. Chavez was arrested alongside Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen” in North Hollywood, as part of an investigation into Perry’s tragic passing.
Chavez now faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for April 2, 2025, according to NBC News. The indictment reveals that Chavez obtained ketamine by writing a fraudulent prescription in a patient’s name without her knowledge or consent. He also deceived wholesale ketamine distributors to acquire additional vials, intending to sell them to Plasencia for distribution to Perry.
Chavez’s attorney, Matthew Binninger, stated that his client feels “remorseful” for his role in Perry’s accidental overdose and is “accepting responsibility” for his actions.
Earlier this summer, charges were read against five defendants, including Chavez, Plasencia, Sangha, Erik Fleming, and Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. The United States Attorney’s Office, along with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram, emphasized that each defendant played a significant role in Perry’s death through the fraudulent prescribing, selling, or injecting of ketamine. Milgram stated, “Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.”
Text messages exchanged between Plasencia and Chavez before Perry’s death revealed troubling sentiments, including Plasencia’s comment, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
Perry was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023, nearly one year prior to Chavez’s guilty plea. The coroner’s report indicated that Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, but at the time of his death, the ketamine levels in his body were alarmingly high.
The beloved actor, known for his role in *Friends*, had long struggled with addiction, candidly sharing his journey to recovery in his 2022 memoir, *Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing*. His tragic passing has highlighted the darker sides of substance abuse and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in prescribing treatment.
In other news – Gospel music legend Solly Moholo passes away
Gospel musician Solomon Molokoane, widely known as Solly Moholo, has sadly passed away at the age of 65 after a prolonged battle with illness. His team confirmed his passing on his official Facebook account. In a heartfelt statement, they expressed their sorrow: “Dear Solly Moholo Fans. It is with great sadness that we are informing you on behalf of the Molokoane family that our beloved legend, Solly Moholo, has sadly passed on.”
Solly was hospitalized following an illness that developed after his pre-album launch tour in Botswana. The statement continued, “He will be sorely missed. Read More
