• Dr. Mark Chavez sentenced to eight months of home confinement for supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry.
• Chavez pleads guilty to conspiracy, admitting to his role in the actor's overdose.
• Perry's death investigation revealed an underground network for drug distribution in Hollywood.
• Chavez must complete 300 hours of community service and face three years of supervised release.
• Other co-defendants await sentencing after pleading guilty in connection with the case.

A second Californian doctor, Mark Chavez, was sentenced to eight months of home confinement after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, which contributed to actor Matthew Perry's death. On December 16, 2024, U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett delivered the sentence alongside three years of supervised release and 300 hours of community service, highlighting the seriousness of the charges associated with Perry's overdose death in October 2023, according to ABC News and BBC.

Chavez, a former doctor from San Diego, admitted to supplying ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, another physician involved in the drug distribution scheme. Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison, having supplied Perry with the drug in the weeks prior to his death. During the investigation, evidence surfaced that exhibited an underground drug network targeting vulnerable individuals like Perry for profit, as detailed by Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

Chavez's actions were revealed to include acquisition of ketamine through fraudulent prescriptions and selling them to Plasencia, who texted that Perry could be financially exploited. The actor, who had a history of substance abuse and was legally prescribed ketamine for treatment of depression, fell into the grips of this illegal network when his legitimate doctor refused to increase his dosage, according to Channel News Asia and SCMP.

The court noted that while Chavez faced a potential maximum of 10 years in prison, his early acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with authorities led to a more lenient sentence. He expressed remorse for the tragic consequences of his actions, acknowledging the pain caused to the Perry family. The remaining co-defendants await their respective sentences, with the judge indicating that consistency across sentences would be a priority, as stated by ABC News and BBC.