One of the doctors charged with supplying ketamine to actor Matthew Perry pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
Dr. Mark Chavez pleaded guilty on Wednesday to illegally distributing the drug, The Los Angeles Times reported.
He was one of three defendants who agreed to deals in exchange for lesser charges in connection to the “Friends” actor’s death nearly a year ago.
Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and accused drug dealer Erik Fleming are the other two.
Two others — Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha — have pleaded not guilty. Plasencia was charged with a count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records relating to the federal investigation.
Sangha, who prosecutors said is known as “The Ketamine Queen,” was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining 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, the Department of Justice said.
Plasencia and Sangha will be tried together in March, CNN reported.
As for Chavez, he will be sentenced in April and faces up to 10 years in federal prison. He surrendered his medical license and was freed on a $50,000 bond, the Times reported.
He admitted to supplying 22 vials of ketamine and nine ketamine lozenges, The Associated Press reported.
Perry died from “acute effects of ketamine,” the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office determined. Perry had used ketamine legally as an off-label treatment for depression through his regular doctor but he then started to get it through illegal means. Plasencia is accused of contacting Chavez to get the drug to sell to Perry, charging the actor $2,000 a dose that normally cost Chavez $12.
Chavez gave dozens of vials of ketamine to Plasencia to sell to Perry, the DOJ said.
Chavez also surrendered his medical license, CNN reported.
He agreed to cooperate with the DOJ as prosecutors consider more serious charges against Plasencia, the AP reported.
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