Dr. Mark Chavez, the physician connected to the illegal distribution of ketamine that ultimately led to actor Matthew Perry’s death, has been sentenced to prison. He will serve eight months in home detention. Perry’s untimely passing on October 28, 2023, at the young age of 54 years old has received a considerable amount of media coverage. This tragedy has raised many questions about the details of his current fight with addiction.
Matthew Perry, best known for his groundbreaking role as Chandler Bing on NBC’s “Friends,” fought addiction for decades. He wrote candidly about this battle all his life. He had been doing it legally, as an off-label treatment for depression. In the months leading up to his death, Perry exhibited a growing desire for the drug. This desperation led him to contact Dr. Salvador Plasencia for a prescription.
On October 28, Perry was discovered dead by his assistant. Further inquiries showed that Dr. Chavez was ordering ketamine from a wholesale distributor under fraudulent representations. He then provided the drug to his friend Dr. Plasencia, who was sentenced earlier this month to two-and-a-half years in prison for trafficking it to Perry.
Dr. Chavez pleaded guilty to supplying 22 vials and nine lozenges of ketamine to Plasencia. Additional terms of his cooperation with investigators included voluntarily surrendering his medical license before his detention hearing. In addition to his prison time, his sentence includes three years of supervised release and a requirement that he perform 300 hours of community service.
Yet in his own messages to Dr. Chavez, Dr. Plasencia referred to Perry as a “moron.” He thought they could use Perry’s hard-fought addiction recovery journey to make a lot of money. This announcement has caused an uproar and made panic among fans and advocates for mental health awareness.
As Matthew Binninger, the plaintiff’s counsel in the case, focused on today’s victory, he emphasized the necessity of holding actors accountable in these cases.
“These are real steps that someone takes toward accountability.” – Matthew Binninger
Even his death illustrates the challenging nature of addiction and the risks associated with unregulated pharmaceutical activity. After his death, a public outcry called for more scrutiny into the prescribing and distribution of drugs like ketamine. This is particularly the case for people with a substance use disorder history.