Matthew Perry’s ketamine physician Mark Chavez in court docket
One of the doctors charged over Matthew Perry‘s ketamine death appeared in court today after striking a plea deal with prosecutors.
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year.
Before the hearing, his attorney told DailyMail.com he has been cooperative with investigators.
Dr. Mark Chavez ignored a scrum of press demanding answers about the Friend’s star’s death and addiction
Perry died after taking multiple doses of ketamine
‘He is going to accept responsibility for what he has done… he feels incredible remorse for what happened.’
Chavez appeared nervous as he went before the judge. Wearing a light blue button down shirt, gray pants, black shoes and his glasses, he waived his right to an indictment but signed a waiver of the information.
Chavez was allowed to remain free on a $15,000 after surrendering his medical license. He had to surrender his passport and is no longer allowed to practice medicine.
It’s unclear what kind of punishment he has agreed to. The maximum sentence for the charge he pleaded guilty to is 10 years behind bars.
Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year
Chavez and his attorney Matthew C. Binninger outside the federal courthouse on Friday
The maximum sentence the charge carries is imprisonment for 10 years.
Also working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are Perry’s assistant, who admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and a Perry acquaintance, who admitted to acting as a drug messenger and middleman.
The three are helping prosecutors as they go after their main targets: Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say is a dealer who sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine.
Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
