One of two doctors charged in connection with the ketamine death of actor Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty to helping provide the actor with the drug that killed him and will surrender his medical license.
Attorney Matthew Binninger told TMZ that his client, Mark Chavez, is cooperating with prosecutors.
“The factual basis from the plea agreement will be used as the basis for the medical board to issue a complaint against him, requesting the surrender of his license,” Binninger said. “We will agree with that conclusion, and at that point, his license will be revoked. I cannot give you an exact timeline about when that will happen because it is up to the medical board, but the wheels are in motion, and now that the guilty plea has been entered it should happen sooner than later.”
Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine
Perry, 54, was found dead in the jacuzzi at his home in the Pacific Palisades a year ago, and an autopsy determined he died from “acute effects of ketamine,” as CrimeOnline reported. The autopsy report said that ketamine levels in the “Friends” actor’s bloodstream would have caused “cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.”
Chavez, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Erik Fleming were all charged in connected with the actor’s death, TMZ said. Chavez joins Iwamsasa — Perry’s assistant — and acquaintance Fleming in taking plea deals. Plasencia and Sangha, known as the “ketamine queen,” are still fighting the charges against them and have pleaded not guilty.
Iwamsasa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury. Fleming pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
Perry had previously undergone physician-supervised ketamine therapy, but that therapy ended well before his death. The five suspects were all charged with providing him with the drug outside his supervised therapy.
Chavez remains free on a $50,000 bond and will be sentenced next April.
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[Featured image: FILE – Matthew Perry arrives at the premiere of “Ride” at The Arclight Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)]
