“Ketamine Queen” aka Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison yesterday for her role in the death of beloved Friends actor Matthew Perry. She entered a plea deal with prosecutors and admitted to working with another drug dealer to supply dozens of vials of ketamine to Perry, including the one that caused his fatal overdose in October 2023.
Sentencing Hearing
Last year, Sangha was charged with 5 counts, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, distribution of ketamine, and distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. She pleaded not guilty at the time and faced a maximum of 65 years in prison if convicted.
Sangha appeared in court on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, with shackles around her ankles, for her sentencing hearing in Los Angeles federal court. She said she takes “full responsibility for my actions,” and “I am deeply ashamed of how my actions affected all the families here today.”
Victim Impact Statements
She cried while Perry’s family delivered their victim impact statements before Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down her ruling. “The pain you caused is irreversible,” Perry’s stepmother, Debbie Perry, said. “You clearly had a talent for making money, but you chose to hurt people. How sad.”
Debbie requested the judge “give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won’t be able to hurt other families like ours.”
Perry’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, read his statement next, also addressing Sangha and her actions that led them to this very moment. “I don’t hate you. You’re a drug dealer. You supplied an addict,” he said. “Matthew was funny and brilliant and sad and miserable and happy and generous and kind and infuriating in every way.” He went on to say Perry was “one of a kind.”
An Emotional Hearing
Morrison told reporters outside the courtroom following the sentencing hearing that he felt it was “very fair” and “considered the case very carefully and delivered a highly reasoned sentence.”
While he is appreciative of the justice that was served, he said he could not help but feel bad for Sangha’s family, who saw their loved one appear “visibly emotional” in court. “You have to have a heart of stone to wake up every morning and make a business out of feeding off the addictions of vulnerable people who are desperate for drugs,” Morrison said.
“Then, when you’re forced to confront what you have done, if you don’t feel some sense of shame or sorrow, then you’re not even human. And she is clearly human. She is now facing the sentence.”
Drug Dealer Down
In previous court filings, Prosecutors said Sangha should serve at least 15 years for her role in the death of Perry, saying she had a “cold callousness and disregard for life.” They claim she has shown little remorse for the harm she has caused and has even been heard scheming in jail for book rights on the situation.
In the sentencing memorandum filed last month, they wrote that Sangha ran a “high-volume drug trafficking business out of her North Hollywood residence.” She has been storing, packaging, and distributing drugs since 2019. Her ketamine distribution has contributed to the death of Perry and another Los Angeles resident, Cody McLaury.
“She didn’t care and kept selling,” prosecutors wrote. “Defendant’s actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims’ families and loved ones.“
Defense’s Sentencing Memo
Sangha’s defense felt she should have received a sentence of time served on account of her “demonstrated rehabilitation.” Her attorneys, Mark Geragos and Alexandra Kazarian, contributed to the sentencing memorandum stating she has shown an immense amount of change.
“She has maintained sustained and exemplary sobriety, and actively engaged in recovery-oriented and rehabilitative programming while in custody, and has tremendously strong family and community support to facilitate successful reentry and reduce the risk of recidivism,” they wrote.
Others Involved in Perry’s Death
Four others, not including Sangha, were charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry. Erik Flemming, Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, and two doctors, Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, all pleaded guilty to their roles.
Prosecutors state that Sangha and Fleming worked to distribute ketamine to Perry and sold him 51 vials in October 2023, handing them to his personal assistant. “Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming,” the Department of Justice said in a 2025 press release.
“Specifically, on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.” Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, causing death, and will be sentenced later this month, along with Fleming, who was charged with an extra count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
The doctors were given lenient sentences on charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine. Chavez was sentenced to eight months of house arrest, while Plasencia was given 30 months in prison in December 2025
