One of the doctors charged in Matthew Perry’s ketamine death appeared in court today after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors.
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a deal with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty following the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year.
Ahead of the hearing, his lawyer told DailyMail.com that he has been cooperating with investigators.
Dr. Mark Chavez ignored a mob of reporters demanding answers about the Friend star’s death and addiction
Perry died after taking multiple doses of ketamine
“He will accept responsibility for what he has done… he feels incredible remorse for what happened.”
Chavez appeared nervous as he appeared before the judge. He wore a light blue shirt, gray pants, black shoes and glasses. He waived his right to an indictment but signed a waiver of information.
Chavez was allowed to remain free after surrendering his medical license for $15,000. He had to surrender his passport and is no longer allowed to practice medicine.
It is not clear what kind of punishment he has received. The maximum sentence for the charge to which he pleaded guilty is 10 years in prison.
Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a deal with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty following the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year.
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, reached a deal with prosecutors earlier this month and would be the third person to plead guilty following the Friends star’s fatal overdose last year.
Chavez and his attorney Matthew C. Binninger outside federal court on Friday
The maximum penalty for the charge is 10 years in prison.
Also working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are Perry’s assistant, who admitted helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and an acquaintance of Perry’s, who admitted acting as a courier and middleman for the drug.
All three are assisting prosecutors in their pursuit of their primary targets: Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is accused of illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman authorities say is a dealer who sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine.
Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.