California doctor Mark Chavez is expected to plead guilty in connection with the fatal overdose of actor Matthew Perry in a deal with federal prosecutors. Chavez will plead to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry and could face up to 10 years in prison. Chavez had already surrendered his passport and agreed to stop practicing medicine. Chavez sold ketamine lozenges to another doctor, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who then distributed them to Perry. Plasencia has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The indictment states that Chavez obtained ketamine through fraudulent means and lied to distributors to sell to Plasencia for distribution to Perry.
Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, but the levels of ketamine in his body at the time of his death were dangerously high. Other individuals charged in connection with Perry’s death include his personal assistant, a friend, and an alleged drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen.” The DEA chief has stated that each of the defendants played a role in Perry’s death, from prescribing and selling ketamine to injecting it. The investigation revealed a chain of individuals involved in providing Perry with the drug, leading to his tragic overdose in 2023.
Chavez’s lawyer has stated that his client is remorseful and accepting responsibility for Perry’s death. The case highlights the dangers of unscrupulous doctors and street dealers who exploited Perry’s struggle with mental health issues for financial gain. Perry’s death serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of the illicit drug trade and the need for stricter regulations and oversight in the medical profession.
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