Dr. Mark Chavez, a California physician, has been sentenced to eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release. This marks the second sentencing related to the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry.
Dr. Chavez pleaded guilty to drug-related charges. He admitted to obtaining ketamine from his clinic and a wholesale distributor via a fraudulent prescription. He then sold the substance to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who subsequently supplied it to Mr. Perry. Dr. Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier this month for his involvement.
The federal investigation into Mr. Perry's death focused on the acquisition of ketamine through an illicit drug network. Ketamine, a surgical anesthetic, is also utilized in treatments for depression, anxiety, and pain. Mr. Perry had been prescribed the drug for medical treatment but reportedly sought dosages beyond what he was allotted. This inquiry identified a drug network involving Dr. Chavez, Dr. Plasencia, Mr. Perry's live-in assistant, Erik Fleming, and Jasveen Sangha, also known as the "Ketamine Queen." Mr. Fleming and Ms. Sangha are scheduled for sentencing in the upcoming months.
A post-mortem examination determined that Mr. Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, with a high concentration of the substance found in his blood.