A former doctor faced minimal consequences on Tuesday for his involvement in the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Mark Chavez, 55, received an eight-month sentence of home confinement from a federal judge in Los Angeles. This came after he acknowledged providing Perry with a significant amount of ketamine, knowing that the actor had been struggling with addiction.
Additionally, the court mandated community service of 300 hours and three years of supervised release. The lighter sentence was, in part, a result of Chavez’s early admission of guilt and cooperation with authorities.
Chavez had surrendered his medical license amid the investigation and did not actually supply the specific batch of ketamine that led to Perry’s death.
“A home confinement sentence will ensure that the defendant reflects on how his actions violated the trust placed in him by his patients,” said federal authorities in a statement.
In earlier court filings, Chavez’s lawyers argued for leniency, citing his damaged reputation and current employment as an Uber driver, emphasizing that he had lost his career and financial stability.
While Chavez accepted responsibility for his actions, his defense maintained that he never personally met Perry or directly gave him drugs that resulted in his death. Just weeks prior to Perry’s overdose on October 28, 2023, he had arranged for medication for Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a friend who indicated he had a well-known patient willing to pay for the drugs.
Dr. Plasencia has since been sentenced to 2.5 years for his role in the case and was known to have administered ketamine to Perry in unsafe conditions, which included giving it to him outside of medical supervision.
Prosecutors stated that Chavez provided a series of drugs to Plasencia on specified dates, knowing he was doing so for Perry. There were incidents where Plasencia injected Perry in public settings, actions that Chavez seemed aware of, yet did not prevent.
After discovering that law enforcement was investigating for possible misuse of medications, Chavez ceased procuring ketamine for Plasencia.
In total, three other individuals are also involved in the case and are awaiting their sentences. Notably, Jasveen Sangha, referred to as the “Queen of Ketamine,” has admitted to supplying drugs that contributed to Perry’s death.
Eric Fleming, who connected Perry with Sangha shortly before the incident, and Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who administered drugs to Perry, are also facing sentencing.
Perry, who famously played Chandler Bing on “Friends,” dealt with addiction issues that became prominent during his rise to fame.
