Doctor Mark Chavez Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry Death Investigation, Facing Up to 10 Years in Prison

Doctor Mark Chavez, one of two physicians who were charged in connection to Matthew Perry’s October 2023 death, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to TMZ.

Chavez, 54, appeared in front of a judge in federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 2, where he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, the outlet reported. The doctor faces up to 10 years in prison, but his sentencing will not take place until April 2, 2025.

Until his sentencing, Chavez remains free on a $50,000 bond, according to TMZ. He has reportedly surrendered his passport and medical license, agreeing not to practice medicine.

Chavez previously accepted a plea deal at his first appearance in federal court in L.A. on August 30. He signed an agreement “to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine,” according to the Associated Press.

“He’s incredibly remorseful, not just because it happened to Matthew Perry, but because it happened to a patient,” Chavez’s lawyer Matthew Binninger said at the time. “He’s trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here. He didn’t accept responsibility today, but only because it wasn’t on the calendar.”

When asked what he would say to Perry’s family if given the chance, Binninger replied, “I’m afraid I can’t answer that question other than to say that we’re incredibly sorry that someone lost their life. It doesn’t matter that he was a famous celebrity, and I know that he was incredibly universally loved by all. It’s a shame at what happened.”

Perry was found dead at 54 years old at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023, after an apparent drowning in his jacuzzi. However, the Friends star’s cause of death was later ruled as the “acute effects of ketamine.” Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy to treat anxiety and depression, but his last treatment had been a week and a half before his death. It was determined that the ketamine that Perry ingested prior to his death was not legally prescribed by a doctor.

Chavez and four other people — Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa and Javeen Sangha, a woman known as “the Ketamine Queen” — were arrested in connection to Perry’s death on August 15.

Chavez, a California-based emergency medicine specialist, was accused of supplying Plasencia, 42, who was Perry’s doctor, with the ketamine that was given to Perry.

“[Chavez] admitted in his plea agreement to selling ketamine to [Plasencia], including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic,” a government press release in August read. “[Chavez] also obtained additional ketamine to transfer to [Plasencia] by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent.”

Prosecutors claimed that Chavez knew Plasencia had little, if any, experience in treating patients with ketamine, according to court documents obtained by In Touch. Despite this, Chavez told Plasencia he had vials of ketamine that he was willing to sell.

Chavez is the third person to plead guilty in the case after Iwamasa, 59, and Fleming, 54. Sangha, 41, and Plasencia have both pleaded not guilty.