Counselor to be sentenced in Matthew Perry ketamine death case

A licensed drug addiction counselor involved in supplying ketamine linked to the death of actor Matthew Perry is set to be sentenced in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Erik Fleming is one of five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s 2023 death at his home. Prosecutors say Fleming, a former addiction treatment professional, relapsed and helped connect Perry’s assistant to a drug dealer known as Jasveen Sangha, who supplied ketamine later linked to the fatal overdose and has already been sentenced to 15 years in prison, News.Az reports, citing The Associated Press.

Court filings say Fleming admitted to distributing ketamine resulting in death. He faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, although prosecutors are seeking around 2.5 years. His defense lawyers are requesting a much shorter custodial term followed by treatment, arguing that he has accepted responsibility and cooperated with investigators.

Fleming’s conduct is part of a broader case involving five people accused of facilitating or supplying ketamine to Perry in the weeks before his death. Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the television series “Friends,” died in October 2023 from acute ketamine toxicity, according to medical examiners.

According to court documents, Fleming obtained ketamine from Sangha, marked up the price, and delivered it to Perry’s residence, where it was administered by Perry’s live-in personal assistant. He wrote in a court letter that he acted for financial reasons and did not foresee the outcome.

“I will accept my punishment with humility and spend the rest of my life working to become worthy of forgiveness,” Fleming said in a statement to the court.

Fleming’s legal team described his recovery efforts since the incident as “transformative,” while prosecutors argued that his role as a counselor who facilitated illegal drug distribution should weigh heavily in sentencing. The assistant involved in administering the ketamine is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova