Matthew Perry's Doctor Pleads Guilty in Actor's Death

One of Matthew Perry's doctors and the third defendant in the Hollywood actor's death case has pleaded guilty. California clinic manager Mark Chavez is accused of illegally distributing ketamine, NBC reports.

The 54-year-old doctor was taken to court in Los Angeles where he admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry, causing him to die in his hot tub at home. Even if convicted, Chavez faces 10 years in prison upon sentencing, which is scheduled for April 2, 2025. He was released on bail pending trial. He surrendered his passport and can no longer practice medicine.

Chavez is one of five people charged in the death of the Friends star. In a statement, he said he sold ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plascencia, 42, who sold it to Matthew Perry's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa. He administered the drug to the actor for the last time and also pleaded not guilty. Santa Monica doctor Salvador Plascencia, known in medical circles as Dr. P, has pleaded not guilty.

"Chavez obtained ketamine after writing a fraudulent prescription in the patient's name without her knowledge or consent. He defrauded wholesale distributors of ketamine to purchase additional vials of the drug, which Chavez intended to sell to Plascencia for delivery to Perry," the indictment states.

In addition to the actor's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, doctors Salvador Plascencia and Mark Chavez, "ketamine queen" Jaswin Sangah and Perry's friend Eric Fleming are also accused of the actor's death. All are under investigation and could face prison terms ranging from 10 years to life.

Let us recall that Matthew Perry died in his home at the age of 55 in October last year. The famous actor drowned in a Jacuzzi after taking ketamine, which he had been taking regularly and in large doses for some time before his death. For many years, Perry suffered from drug and alcohol addiction. He admitted that he was often drunk during the filming of films, including the series "Friends". Matthew spent about $9 million on his fight against addiction.