A California doctor has pleaded guilty for his role in Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose.
The beloved Friends actor was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28, after a long and well-documented battle with addiction.
Mark Chaves, 53, arrived at a Los Angeles court on Wednesday, where he formally pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine. The judge accepted the request.
He faces up to 10 years in prison, even if he takes a plea deal. He will be sentenced on April 2, 2025.
Before Wednesday’s court hearing, Chaves agreed to stop practicing medicine and surrendered his passport to authorities.
Mark Chaves, 53, arrived at a Los Angeles court Wednesday, where his legal team has indicated he will plead guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry.
The beloved Friends actor was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 23, after a long and well-documented battle with addiction.
He faces up to 10 years in prison even if he pleads guilty.
It is understood Chavez sold ketamine pills to Dr Salvador Plasencia, who is accused of then providing them to Perry.
Plasencia faces separate charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Plasencia is accused of texting Chavez: “I wonder how much this asshole is paying” when he learned Perry was looking for ketamine.
Prosecutors offered lesser charges to Chavez and two others in exchange for their cooperation as they pursue two targets they believe most responsible for the overdose death: another doctor and an alleged trafficker who they say was known as the ‘queen of the Ketamine’ from Los Angeles.
His attorney Matthew Binninger said after Chavez’s first court appearance on Aug. 30 that he is “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that occurred here.”
Pictured: Chávez arriving at court on Wednesday
He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on the hit NBC comedy.
Perry was found dead by his assistant and the medical examiner later ruled that the primary cause of death was ketamine.
Perry was found dead by his assistant and the medical examiner later ruled that the primary cause of death was ketamine.
The actor had been using the medication through his regular doctor in a legal but unapproved treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.
Perry battled addiction for years, dating back to his time on ‘Friends’, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing.
He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons, from 1994 to 2004, on the hit NBC comedy.