(KTLA) – One of the two doctors charged in connection with the fatal overdose of actor Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty in the case.
Dr. Mark Chavez, of San Diego, has agreed to enter the guilty plea for one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and has signed a plea agreement, according to the United States District Attorney’s Office.
In his plea agreement, the 54-year-old doctor admitted he obtained the ketamine from his former clinic and from a wholesale distributor where he submitted a fraudulent prescription.
Chavez could get up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced.
He will be the third person to plead guilty following the “Friends” star’s death. The other two are Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Perry’s acquaintance, Eric Fleming. Iwamasa admitted to obtaining ketamine for Perry and injecting him with the drug. Fleming admitted to obtaining the ketamine from the supplier and giving it to Iwamasa for Perry to use.
These three people are helping the U.S. Attorney’s Office go after the main two defendants: Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Authorities said Sangha, 41, is known as “The Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood.
Both face charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Sangha is also 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.
Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.
On Oct. 28, Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The medical examiner determined he died from “acute effects of ketamine.”
“There were trace amounts of ketamine detected in the stomach contents,” the autopsy report stated. “He was reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety.”
The report also found that contributing factors in Perry’s death included “drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects.” The manner of the death was listed as accidental (drug and drowning-related), and there were no signs of foul play, investigators said.
For most of his life, Perry was open about his battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways in the end,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press conference earlier this month. “These defendants were more interested in profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.”