Doctor in Matthew Perry Case Faces Court Following Plea Deal
Dr. Mark Chavez, one of two doctors charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death, is set to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine. Chavez, a 54-year-old from San Diego, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month and is expected to be the third individual to admit involvement in the case. He will cooperate with prosecutors as they pursue other implicated parties, including Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is accused of illegally selling ketamine to Perry a month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, who allegedly sold the lethal dose of the drug. Both Plasencia and Sangha have pleaded not guilty.
Chavez's cooperation with prosecutors may provide further insight into the network involved in the distribution of ketamine, which is at the center of Perry's fatal overdose. After entering his guilty plea, Chavez could face up to 10 years in prison. The case underscores the potential dangers associated with the misuse of ketamine, a drug sometimes used off-label for treating depression.