A judge sentenced Erik Fleming, who admitted to distributing the ketamine that killed “Friends” star Matthew Perry, to two years in federal prison Wednesday.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California judge also sentenced Fleming to three years of supervised release, according to TMZ. Fleming requested mercy and asked the court for a lighter punishment by requesting three months in jail followed by a 9-month residential drug treatment program and three years of supervised release before the ruling, according to a letter from before the ruling.
385848 04: Actor Matthew Perry stars as Chandler Bing in NBC’s comedy series “Friends.” (Photo by Warner Bros. Television)
Fleming was a TV director and an acquaintance of the famous actor. He worked as a program director at the Bel-Air treatment center the Red Door. Court filings revealed federal officials argued Fleming was a trained addiction counselor who used his position to repeatedly arrange drug deals for personal profit, according to TMZ.
Fleming admitted to distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death as well as one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Fleming told the court that he obtained the ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” according to court documents. Sangha was sentenced April 8 to 15 years in federal prison. Iwanasa will face sentencing May 27.
BEVERLY HILLS, UNITED STATES: The cast of the hit US TV show “Friends” from L to R: Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox pose for photographers as they arrive for the 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards 21 January in Beverly Hills. “Friends” is nominated for Best Comedy Televison Series. AFP PHOTO Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Perry was best known for portraying Chandler Bing on the hit series “Friends.” He was found unresponsive in his residential pool on Oct. 28, 2023 and latered pronounced dead, according to a December 2023 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner report
The medical examiner ruled the beloved actor died from the acute effects of ketamine. The contributing factors that led to the star’s death were drowning, coronary artery disease and issues due to buprenorphine, a medication employed to treat opioid use disorder, authorities said. (RELATED: ‘Ketamine Queen’ Jasveen Sangha Sentenced To 15 Years Behind Bars In Relation To Matthew Perry’s Death)
His tragic death renewed attention on the dangers of ketamine, a drug widely used in Hollywood circles and increasingly used in the treatment of recovering addicts.