Erik Fleming, a licensed drug addiction counselor who brokered the sale of ketamine that killed "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, with three years of supervised release to follow.
Fleming, 56, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He faced a statutory maximum of 25 years in prison, according to ABC News.
Federal prosecutors had requested a 30-month sentence. Fleming's defense attorneys had sought three months in prison followed by nine months in a residential drug treatment facility, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said Fleming played a significant role in supplying ketamine that "ultimately led to Mr. Perry's death," but that his sentence reflected his cooperation with investigators, the Times reported.
According to CBS News, Fleming's plea included admissions that he sourced ketamine from Jasveen Sangha — whom prosecutors dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" — inflated the per-vial cost before passing the drugs along to Iwamasa, Perry's live-in personal assistant. He delivered 25 vials four days before Perry's death on Oct. 28, 2023.
"I am regretfully sorry for the pain and anguish I have caused the family," Fleming told reporters outside the courthouse, according to ABC News. "My chest and heart hurt every day for the pain that I've caused not only his family, but the millions of people who adored him."
In a letter to the court, Fleming said he procured ketamine for Perry "because I wanted the money and because I thought I was doing a favor for a friend," adding that the outcome "will haunt me forever," according to the Times.
CBS News reported that prosecutors highlighted two aggravating factors: Fleming's decision to proceed with the sales despite his knowledge of Perry's long-documented addiction history, and his deletion of text messages exchanged with Sangha following the actor's death.
Sangha was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison for her role in the case. Two doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, were previously sentenced to 30 months in prison and eight months of home confinement, respectively.
The last defendant yet to be sentenced is Iwamasa, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges after acknowledging that he personally administered ketamine injections to Perry on numerous occasions, with prosecutors saying he gave the actor no fewer than three doses in the hours before his death. His hearing is scheduled for May 27, according to NBC News.