In August, Dr. Marc signed a plea deal with prosecutors, making him the third person to plead guilty following Matthew’s ketamine overdose last year
One of the two doctors who have been charged in connection to the death of Friends star Matthew Perry, Dr. Marc Chavez, has pleaded guilty.
The physician pleaded guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine. In August, Dr. Chavez signed a plea deal with prosecutors, making him the third person to plead guilty following Matthew’s ketamine overdose last year. Dr. Chavez and two other people were offered lesser charges in exchange for their cooperation by prosecutors who were going for two individuals they considered more responsible for Matthew’s overdose. The two targets were another doctor and Matthew’s alleged dealer, who prosecutors say is nicknamed the “ketamine queen” of Los Angeles.
Dr. Chavez is now free on bond upon the medical professional turning over his passport, giving up his medical license, and other conditions.
After Dr.Chavez first appeared in court on August 30 he was “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here,’ his lawyer revealed, per The Guardian.
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In addition to Dr. Chavez, Matthew’s assistant is also working with federal prosecutors since he has admitted to helping the actor obtain and inject ketamine. Additionally, Matthew’s acquaintance, who revealed that he acted as a drug messenger and middleman, is also working with prosecutors.
Together, three of the accused are assisting prosecutors in the prosecution of Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is charged with illegally selling ketamine to Matthew the month before he died. They’re also helping prosecutors with the prosecution of Jasveen Sangha, aka the ketamine queen. Authorities allege that Jasveen was the one who sold Matthew the lethal dose of ketamine; she and Dr. Plasencia have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Dr. Chavez disclosed in his plea agreement that he had gotten the ketamine from his former clinic along with a wholesale distributor where he placed a fraudulent prescription, according to The Guardian. With his guilty plea, Dr. Chavez could receive up to 10 years in prison if sentenced.
Jasveen, the alleged ketamine queen, has vehemently alleged that she has no ties to Matthew despite being involved in his death investigation. She insists on her innocence, having entered a not-guilty plea.
“My client never met Matthew Perry, has nothing to do with Matthew Perry and all the supposed rumors otherwise are just that, urban legend,” her attorney said, adding: “I admire the cleverness of [the nickname]. I don’t think it has any place in an indictment.”