Matthew Perry Death: 'Ketamine Queen' Gets 15 Years In Prison

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A federal judge on Wednesday (April 8) sentenced Jasveen Sangha, 42, to 15 years in prison for illegally supplying the ketamine that led to the death of“Friends” actor Matthew Perry in 2023.

“You're going to have to show some epic resilience,” Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett told Sangha, echoing her own comments about personal growth and self-improvement earlier in the hearing.

Sangha is the third of five defendants to be sentenced in connection with Perry's overdose and the only one whose plea deal included an acknowledgment that her actions caused the actor's death.

Prosecutors paint Sangha as“Ketamine Queen”

Prosecutors described Sangha in court filings as a“Ketamine Queen”, running an elaborate drug operation catering to wealthy clients and maintaining a jet-setting lifestyle despite her privileged background.

The prosecution recommended the full 15-year sentence, arguing her continued drug dealing after previous deaths showed a lack of remorse.

“In 2020, when she learned that the ketamine she sold contributed to a man's death, she didn't care and kept selling. In 2023, the reaction was the same when she sold drugs to Matthew Perry,” the filing stated.

Defense cites rehabilitation and good behavior

Sangha's attorneys requested a lighter sentence, pointing to her time in custody since August 2024, her lack of a prior criminal record, and her exemplary behavior in prison.

“The time she has spent in jail should be sufficient. She has shown accountability and is unlikely to return to drug dealing,” her attorneys argued in filings.

Family speaks on Perry's death

Keith Morrison, Perry's stepfather, told the court about the ongoing grief felt by Perry's family.

“We feel a daily, grinding sadness and sorrow,” Morrison said, representing both himself and Perry's mother, Suzanne.

Fatal chain of supply

Matthew Perry, 54, was found dead in his Los Angeles home hot tub. The medical examiner ruled ketamine - a short-acting anesthetic used off-label for depression - as the primary cause of death.

Perry initially obtained ketamine legally from his doctor but later sought additional doses. This led him to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who illegally sold ketamine to Perry received two and a half years in prison, and then to Sangha, who sold 25 vials for $6,000 in cash just four days before his death.

Other individuals involved in the supply chain, including Perry's assistant and intermediaries, are still awaiting sentencing, while another doctor involved in the distribution received eight months of home detention.

Judge weighs consistency across cases

Judge Garnett emphasized that she is calibrating sentences for all five defendants to ensure the punishment reflects the scale of the crime and the connections between the defendants' actions.

Sangha had pleaded guilty to five felony counts: using her home for drug distribution, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution resulting in death. She also admitted to supplying ketamine in an earlier overdose case in 2019.

(With AP inputs)

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