A drug addiction counselor with a license, who provided ketamine doses to actor Matthew Perry that resulted in his death, has been sentenced to two years in prison. The 56-year-old Erik Fleming received the sentencing from Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in a federal court in Los Angeles. Fleming expressed remorse for his actions before the judge, describing it as a haunting nightmare he cannot escape. He appeared in a black suit, speaking solemnly at the podium.
Erik Fleming is the fourth defendant to be sentenced among the five who pleaded guilty in connection to Perry’s death in 2023. Fleming facilitated the connection between Perry and Jasveen Sangha, a convicted drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” who was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Fleming cooperated with investigators early on, leading to his guilty plea in August 2024 for distributing ketamine resulting in death. His cooperation led to a reduced sentence compared to what federal guidelines would have suggested. Prosecutors acknowledged his cooperation but also highlighted his deliberate actions as a drug counselor selling illegal drugs to a known drug addiction victim like Perry.
Despite defense lawyers requesting a lighter sentence of three months in prison and nine months in a residential drug treatment facility, Fleming received a two-year prison term. Fleming expressed deep remorse for the pain he caused Perry’s family and friends.
Perry had been undergoing ketamine treatments for depression, and Fleming was introduced to him through a friend while seeking more of the drug outside of medical channels. Fleming, once a film and television producer, had battled addiction himself before becoming a drug counselor. He sourced ketamine from Sangha, marked up the price for profit, and delivered it to Perry’s residence, where it was sold to his assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.
Tragically, Perry passed away at the age of 54 after receiving ketamine from that batch, with a medical examiner’s report attributing his death to the acute effects of ketamine and drowning as a secondary cause. Iwamasa, who administered the drug to Perry, is scheduled to be the final defendant sentenced in two weeks.
Perry, renowned for his role as Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom “Friends,” passed away in 2023. An auction of his belongings, including memorabilia from the show, will benefit the foundation established in his honor posthumously.
