Doctor who helped sell Perry ketamine gets 8 months home confinement
Share this @internewscast.com

In a Los Angeles federal courtroom, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced Dr. Mark Chavez, 55, to three years of supervised release.

Matthew Perry died from a ketamine overdose in October 2023. (Getty Images for GQ)
Plasencia admitted to taking advantage of Perry, knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasencia texted Chavez that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Matthew Perry, renowned for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, had been legally using the anesthetic ketamine to manage depression. When his regular physician declined to increase the dosage, Perry sought out Dr. Chavez for more.

Dr. Chavez confessed to acquiring ketamine under false pretenses from a wholesale distributor and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the drug. He has not been detained.

Mark Chavez, a physician from San Diego, will do less than a year of house arrest over Perry’s death. (AP)

Perry’s struggles with addiction were longstanding, dating back to his time on Friends, where he became a household name alongside co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer during the show’s 10-year run from 1994 to 2004.

Chavez is the second individual to be sentenced among five defendants who have admitted guilt in relation to Perry’s death at the age of 54 in 2023.

Chavez is the second person to be sentenced of the five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s death at age 54 in 2023.

Perry was found dead by his assistant on October 28. The medical examiner ruled ketamine was the primary cause of death.

The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.

Seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him, about a month before his death Perry found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.

He met with Plasencia between San Diego and Los Angeles to hand off ketamine he got using fraudulent prescriptions. In all, he admitted to supplying 22 5ml vials of ketamine and nine ketamine lozenges.

Chavez will also be expected to do 300 hours of community service.

The other three defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months. Garnett said she would seek to make sure all the sentences made sense in relation to one another.

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Judge Halts Trial: Last Chance for Government in High-Stakes Human Smuggling Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Inset: Kilmar Abrego Garcia in an undated photo (CASA). Background: President Donald…

Shocking Christmas Day Incident: Mother Allegedly Shoots Son Over Disrespect at Red Rooster

Inset: Roseita Lavette Smith (Miami-Dade County Corrections & Rehabilitation). Background: The Red…

Manhunt Intensifies for Camouflaged Teen Suspect in Fatal Domestic Shooting of Mother and Critical Injury of Father

A man alleged to be Jarrod Noll appears in convenience store surveillance…

Intensified Search Underway for Missing Teen Last Seen on Christmas Eve Near Texas Trafficking Hotspot

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating…

Unveiling the Legal Battle in ‘The Case for Christ

Non-Christian Historical Sources: Several non-Christian authors from the era of Jesus provide…

Shocking Incident: Salvation Army Volunteer Allegedly Attacks Publix Manager After Heated Confrontations

Inset: Steven Pavlik (Martin County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The Publix supermarket at…

Tragic Christmas Incident: Woman Shot by Neighbor’s Stray Bullet While Sitting with Family

Inset: Cody Wayne Adams (Stephens County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The Stephens County…

Gainesville Man Faces Charges for Drug Trafficking and Assaulting Police Officer

Gainesville, Fla. – In a dramatic turn of events on the evening…

California Mother Melodee Buzzard Denies Charges in Heartbreaking 9-Year-Old’s Death Case

Ashlee Buzzard, a mother from California, appeared in a Santa Barbara County…

Man Asserts Self-Defense in Christmas Day Shooting Involving Mother and Daughters, Citing Horn Use

Inset: James Brown (Cincinnati Police Department). Background: The intersection where a mother…

Urgent: Help Locate Missing Illinois Man – Community’s Eyes Needed

In Illinois, a family is urgently appealing for information regarding the mysterious…

Prison Guard’s Child Support Outburst: Welfare Workers Locked In Office Building, Disrupting State Operations

Inset: Quantraves Hall (Warner Robins Police Department). Background: A state office building…