A doctor charged in connection with the death of "Friends" actor Matthew Perry is anticipated to enter a guilty plea

Washington [US], August 31: One of the two California doctors under investigation for their involvement in the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry is anticipated to plead guilty to charges related to the use of the surgical anaesthetic ketamine, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This was confirmed by a Department of Justice official on Friday. Mark Chavez, 54, appeared in a Los Angeles federal court for a bond hearing and arraignment on the same day.

Ciaran McEvoy from the United States Attorneys' Office stated that Chavez is expected to plead guilty in the near future. His plea would be the third in the ongoing probe into Perry's death.

Perry, known for his role in "Friends," was found deceased in October in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades residence.

The investigation has led to the arrest of five individuals, including Chavez, Perry's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, another doctor named Salvador Plasencia, a drug dealer, and a woman referred to as the "ketamine queen."

Jasveen Sangha, the so-called "ketamine queen," and Salvador Plasencia have been identified as the primary defendants in the case.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Perry's death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, which resulted in cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. The level of ketamine found in Perry's system was similar to that used during general anaesthesia. Drowning, coronary artery disease, and the impact of buprenorphine, a medication for opioid addiction, were also noted as contributing factors.

Chavez faces additional allegations of using a fraudulent prescription and making false statements to a ketamine distributor.