Mark Chavez, one of two doctors facing charges in the accidental overdose death of Matthew Perry, made his first court appearance Friday after reaching a deal with prosecutors that could see him behind bars for up to 10 years.
Chavez did not enter a plea during his appearance in a Los Angeles federal court, where he was arraigned on one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He’s set to plead guilty at a later date, per an agreement he signed with prosecutors earlier this month.
In the meantime, Chavez was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, which included additional conditions like surrendering his passport and not working as a doctor. He also previously agreed to turn over his medical license as well as cooperate with prosecutors as they pursue others involved in the case, including the doctor Chavez worked with to sell ketamine to Perry.
“He’s incredibly remorseful,” Chavez’s lawyer Matthew Binninger told reporters. “He’s trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here. He didn’t accept responsibility today but only because it wasn’t on the calendar. He’s doing everything in his power to cooperate and help with this situation.”
Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his L.A.-area home on Oct. 28, 2023. He was pronounced dead on the scene, with the cause later being determined as “the acute effects of ketamine,” according to an autopsy report.
“Contributing factors in Mr. Perry’s death include drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, used to treat opioid use disorder,” the medical examiner’s office said in a statement. “The manner of death is accident.”
In addition to Chavez, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and acquaintance Eric Fleming have agreed to not only plead guilty, but to help prosecutors take down their primary targets.
Those targets are Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha, the dealer who authorities say sold the actor the dose of ketamine that killed him.
They have both pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.