Mark Chavez, one of two doctors charged in connection with the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Los Angeles court.
Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine to Perry as part of a plea agreement. If convicted, the disgraced doctor could face up to 10 years in prison. According to , he is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2025. CNN. He is one of five people to stand trial in connection with Starr's death. Perry died on October 28, 2023, from the “acute effects” of ketamine and later drowned.
Los Angeles, California – August 30: Mark Chavez is seen arriving at a courtroom in Los Angeles, California on August 30, 2024. (Photo courtesy of MEGA/GC Images) Getty Images
Chavez pleaded guilty to the charges in a September court appearance and waived his right to a grand jury indictment.
He is accused of supplying Dr. Salvador Plasencia with ketamine that was supplied to Perry through a fraudulent prescription, and has been named as part of the celebrity drug ring involved in this tragic case.
Chavez earned his medical degree from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine in 2004, but later surrendered his medical license as required by his plea agreement.
Los Angeles, USA: Cast members of the series “Friends” win Best Comedy for photographers at the 54th Emmy Awards ceremony held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 22, 2002. Take a pose. From left to right: David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox Arquette, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc. AFP PHOTO Lee CELANO (Photo credit LEE CELANO/AFP via Getty Images)
Plasencia was also charged in connection with Perry's death, but has pleaded not guilty.
Perry's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and Perry's casual friend Eric Fleming were also charged and cooperated with the police investigation. Jasvin Sangha, known as the “Queen of Ketamine,” has pleaded not guilty.(Related: Brain damage, ignorant doctors, and the death of Matthew Perry: The ketamine industry is full of alarming risks)
Los Angeles, California – August 30: Mark Chavez is seen arriving at a courtroom in Los Angeles, California on August 30, 2024. (Photo courtesy of MEGA/GC Images) Getty Images
Prosecutors have indicated that Sangha and Placencia will be tried together. Their pre-trial date is set for February 19, with a trial date scheduled for March 4, 2025.
