Drug counsellor sentenced to two years in prison after death of Matthew Perry
The drug counsellor to Matthew Perry has been sentenced to two years in prison, as part of a lengthy trial following the actor’s death from an overdose.
Erik Fleming procured ketamine from a Los Angeles-based drug dealer known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’ and supplied it to Perry, who subsequently died from an overdose in October 2023. In August 2024, Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply ketamine.
He is one of five people who were charged following the death of the Friends star, with the ‘Ketamine Queen’, real name Jasveen Sangha, having already been sentenced to 15 years in prison after selling the drugs that caused Perry’s demise.
For Fleming’s part, he has been sentenced to two years in prison, as well as three years on supervised release and a $200 penalty, according to BBC News. This comes despite his defence originally seeking a three-month prison sentence and nine months in a residential drug treatment facility.
Prior to his sentencing, the 56-year-old told the judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, “It’s truly a nightmare I can’t wake up from. I’m haunted by the mistakes I made.”
Fleming had also written a letter to the judge in April, saying he was “deeply sorry” and was “overwhelmed with grief and shame” when he found out about Perry’s death. “I hope my sentence provides some measure of justice and peace for everyone who loved Matt,” he added.
The drug counsellor is currently the fourth out of five people charged with offences relating to Perry’s death to be sentenced, with Dr Salvador Plasencia, who also supplied the actor with the lethal drug, being sentenced to 30 months in prison in December last year.
On top of this, Dr Mark Chavez, who sold ketamine to Perry on previous occasions, was sentenced to eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release.
The last person to be sentenced is the actor’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who was accused of injecting him with ketamine.
He was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, and is due to be sentenced on May 27th having pleaded guilty to the charge.
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