Doctor Mark Chavez pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine
3 october 2024 в 00:13
Doctor Mark Chavez — one of the two doctors charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. 54-year-old Chavez entered a guilty plea in federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 2. During the investigation into Perry’s death, Chavez was arrested along with Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a drug dealer known as the «ketamine queen» in North Hollywood. A total of five people were charged earlier this summer in Perry’s case.
Chavez faces up to 10 years in prison, and his sentencing date is set for April 2, 2025, according to NBC News. According to the charges against Chavez, he obtained ketamine by «writing a fake prescription in the name of a patient without her consent, and lied to wholesale ketamine suppliers to purchase additional vials of liquid ketamine that Chavez intended to sell to Plasencia for distribution to Perry». Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger, said that his client feels «regret» for his role in Perry’s accidental overdose and «takes responsibility», - according to a source.
In August, charges were filed against five defendants: Chavez, Plasencia, Sangha, Eric Fleming, and Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamase. According to Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Anna Milgram, each of the defendants played a key role in his death, falsifying prescriptions, selling, or administering ketamine that led to Matthew Perry’s tragic death.
«We allege that Matthew Perry’s path began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their trusted position because they saw him as a source of income, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials», - continued the DEA administrator.
In a series of texts before Perry’s death, Plasencia allegedly sent Chavez a message saying, «I wonder how much this idiot will pay».
Nearly a year before Chavez pleaded guilty, Perry was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023. According to the coroner’s report, Perry was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety before his death. However, at the time of his death, his ketamine levels were unusually high.
The late actor of «17 Again» struggled with addiction throughout his career. He shared his journey to overcoming addiction in his 2022 memoir «Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing».
If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, contact the National Helpline for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1−800−662-HELP (4357)
Chavez faces up to 10 years in prison, and his sentencing date is set for April 2, 2025, according to NBC News. According to the charges against Chavez, he obtained ketamine by «writing a fake prescription in the name of a patient without her consent, and lied to wholesale ketamine suppliers to purchase additional vials of liquid ketamine that Chavez intended to sell to Plasencia for distribution to Perry». Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger, said that his client feels «regret» for his role in Perry’s accidental overdose and «takes responsibility», - according to a source.
In August, charges were filed against five defendants: Chavez, Plasencia, Sangha, Eric Fleming, and Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamase. According to Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Anna Milgram, each of the defendants played a key role in his death, falsifying prescriptions, selling, or administering ketamine that led to Matthew Perry’s tragic death.
«We allege that Matthew Perry’s path began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their trusted position because they saw him as a source of income, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials», - continued the DEA administrator.
In a series of texts before Perry’s death, Plasencia allegedly sent Chavez a message saying, «I wonder how much this idiot will pay».
Nearly a year before Chavez pleaded guilty, Perry was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023. According to the coroner’s report, Perry was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety before his death. However, at the time of his death, his ketamine levels were unusually high.
The late actor of «17 Again» struggled with addiction throughout his career. He shared his journey to overcoming addiction in his 2022 memoir «Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing».
If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, contact the National Helpline for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1−800−662-HELP (4357)
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
