A physician who admitted guilt in a plot to provide ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his fatal overdose has been sentenced to eight months of home confinement. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett imposed the sentence on Dr. Mark Chavez, aged 55, in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles. Prior to the sentencing, Chavez expressed condolences to the Perry family, acknowledging the sorrow caused by Perry’s passing.
Chavez procured ketamine and supplied it to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who recently received a 2½-year prison term for selling ketamine to Perry. Chavez’s legal team highlighted his early acceptance of responsibility by cooperating with authorities and surrendering his medical license voluntarily before his detention hearing. Attorney Matthew Binninger described the sentence as a just and equitable outcome for the case.
Perry had been using ketamine legally to treat depression, but turned to Plasencia when his regular doctor refused to give him the desired amounts. Plasencia admitted exploiting Perry, referring to him as a “moron” who could be taken advantage of for financial gain.
Chavez admitted to obtaining ketamine from a wholesale distributor under false pretenses and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He has not been in custody since pleading guilty. Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends, battled addiction for years before his passing at age 54.
Chavez is the second of five defendants to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death in 2023. Perry was found deceased on October 28, 2023, with ketamine identified as the primary cause of death. Chavez will also be required to complete 300 hours of community service as part of his sentencing. The remaining three defendants who pleaded guilty will face sentencing in the upcoming months, with Judge Garnett aiming to ensure consistency in the sentences across all defendants.