‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced to 15 years in Matthew Perry overdose death
A guilty plea led to 15-year prison term for drug distribution
Jasveen Sangha, a 42-year-old Los Angeles resident, received a 15-year prison sentence for her role in the fatal overdose of Friends actor Matthew Perry. In September 2023, she admitted guilt to five charges, including one for distributing ketamine that resulted in death or severe harm.
Prosecutors labeled her North Hollywood home as a “drug-selling emporium,” highlighting its role in supplying a range of substances to affluent and influential clients. Perry, who had long battled addiction, died in October 2023 after an overdose in his Los Angeles home. The incident was linked to the acute effects of ketamine.
Ketamine’s role and legal implications
Ketamine functions as a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, typically used under medical supervision. Sangha’s actions were criticized during the sentencing, as she showed no signs of remorse despite her opportunity to speak in court.
“You caused this… You who has talent for business enough to make money chose the one way that hurts people,” said Debbie Perry, Perry’s stepmother, in a victim impact statement. “Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won’t be able to hurt other families like ours.”
Investigations and other defendants
Federal authorities uncovered dozens of ketamine vials during a raid on Sangha’s residence. She had been supplying the drug from her “stash house” in North Hollywood since at least 2019. Alongside thousands of pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and Xanax, these findings formed the basis of her charges.
Sangha initially denied the allegations but shifted to a guilty plea in August 2023, just weeks before her trial. As part of the agreement, she also confessed to selling ketamine to Cody McLaury, who died from an overdose shortly after the transaction. The justice department noted she faced a potential 65-year sentence.
Supporting statements and upcoming sentences
Several letters advocating for a lenient sentence were submitted on her behalf by family and friends. Her legal team argued in March that she had “accepted responsibility for serious criminal conduct” and lacked a prior criminal record. Meanwhile, others involved in Perry’s overdose, including doctors and his assistant, are set to face their own judgments.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who supplied ketamine to Perry in the weeks before his death, was sentenced to 30 months in December. Dr. Mark Chavez, who sold the drug to Plasencia, received eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release. Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, awaits sentencing, with his team seeking a delay. Eric Fleming, another supplier, is scheduled for a June hearing.
