A San Diego doctor pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine on Wednesday, an act that resulted in the death of actor Matthew Perry.
Dr. Mark Chavez said he gave Dr. Salvador Plasencia 22 5-milliliter vials of ketamine and nine ketamine lozenges that were eventually sold to Perry, according to reporting from The Associated Press.
Chavez was originally charged along with four other individuals in August but was not placed in police custody. Today, a Los Angeles judge ruled he will remain free on bond until his April 2 sentencing date.
Chavez turned in his passport and surrendered his medical license.
“Mark entered his plea of guilty and that’s now public record,” Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger, told reporters outside of the courthouse. “You accept responsibility and then you set sentencing.”
The presiding Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett made it clear that she is not bound by any plea deal or agreement offered by the prosecution and could still sentence him to 10 years in prison, which is the maximum allowed under law.
