Doctor Charged in Matthew Perry's Overdose Death Pleads Guilty
10/02/2024 05:31 PM
Nearly a year after Matthew Perry's shocking overdose death, one of the five defendants in the case was in L.A. court on Wednesday, as feds unravel a story of cash, code names, and ketamine.
Dr. Mark Chavez is one of two doctors charged in connection with the "Friends" star's death. Chavez entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He has accepted a plea deal and is said to be "incredibly remorseful" after allegedly being contacted by Dr. Salvador Plasencia.
"Extra" spoke with Matthew Seedoff, a reporter with KTTV L.A., who revealed, "These doctors can buy these vials of Ketamine for $12 and turn around and sell them for $2,000."
Chavez could help bring down the hammer on the other defendants by working with authorities.
Neama Rahmani, the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers and former federal prosecutors, has not worked on the case, but weighed in.
He told "Extra," "Having that insider testimony, someone who is willing to flip and testify at trial if necessary does put a lot of pressure on the remaining co-defendants to plead guilty as well."
Other defendants in the case include alleged "Ketamine queen" Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Plasencia, who both entered not guilty pleas.
According to the United States Attorney's press release, "Sangha and Plasencia are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha also is charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine."
Filmmaker Eric Fleming has already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Perry's live-in assistant Iwamasa also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.
