Dealer Dubbed 'Ketamine Queen' Gets 15 Years in Matthew Perry Death Case
A dealer nicknamed the "Ketamine Queen" was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with supplying ketamine that prosecutors say was linked to the death of actor Matthew Perry. The sentence follows court proceedings tying the supplied drug to Perry’s fatal overdose.
📌 Key Facts
- Jasveen Sangha, 42, was sentenced in federal court in Los Angeles to 15 years in prison.
- She pleaded guilty to three counts of ketamine distribution, one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
- Sangha admitted supplying the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s Oct. 28, 2023 death, which was ruled accidental due to acute effects of ketamine with drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine as contributing factors.
- Co-defendant ex-physician Salvador Plasencia previously received 30 months in prison, and Dr. Mark Chavez got three years of supervised release with eight months of home confinement and 300 hours of community service.
- Perry’s former assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and alleged middleman Erik Fleming have pleaded guilty and face potential maximum sentences of 15 and 25 years, with sentencings set for later this month.
📊 Relevant Data
From July 2019 to June 2023, ketamine was detected in 912 out of 228,668 drug overdose deaths in 45 U.S. jurisdictions, representing 0.4% of total overdose deaths, with detection rates increasing from 0.3% in the second half of 2019 to 0.5% in the first half of 2023.
Notes from the Field: Ketamine Detection and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths — United States, July 2019–June 2023 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Among decedents with ketamine detected in overdose deaths from July 2019 to June 2023, approximately 34.8% were aged 25–34 years, and 74.8% were males.
Notes from the Field: Ketamine Detection and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths — United States, July 2019–June 2023 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
In fiscal year 2023, after controlling for offense severity, criminal history, and other factors, Black male offenders received federal sentences 13.4% longer than similarly situated White male offenders, and Hispanic male offenders received sentences 11.2% longer.
2023 Demographic Differences in Federal Sentencing — United States Sentencing Commission (USSC)
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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