A licensed drug addiction counselor who provided the fatal doses of ketamine to "Friends" star Matthew Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday. Erik Fleming, 56, is one of five individuals who pleaded guilty in connection with the actor's death in October 2023 at his Los Angeles home.
Prosecution and Defense Requests
Prosecutors are recommending a 2.5-year prison term for Fleming, who connected Perry with Jasveen Sangha, a convicted dealer dubbed "The Ketamine Queen." Sangha received a 15-year sentence last month. In contrast, defense attorneys are requesting a three-month prison sentence followed by nine months in a residential drug treatment facility. They argue that Fleming has made significant efforts to atone for his actions.
Fleming cooperated with investigators immediately, leading to Sangha's identification. He became the first defendant to plead guilty in August 2024, admitting to one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, even before arrests were publicly announced. He will be the fourth defendant sentenced in the Los Angeles federal courtroom of Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett.
Fleming's Background and Role
Prosecutors acknowledge Fleming's cooperation but emphasize that his professional role as a drug counselor aggravates his crime. They note that he "deliberately undertook to sell illegal street drugs to a victim who had a public, well-documented battle with drug addiction." Perry had been using ketamine therapy for depression, an off-label treatment, but sought additional supplies outside medical channels.
Fleming, a former film and television producer whose career was derailed by addiction, became a drug counselor after getting sober. However, he relapsed following the death of his stepmother in 2023. He obtained ketamine from Sangha, marked up the price, and delivered it to Perry's home, selling it to the actor's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
In a letter to the court, Fleming wrote: "I procured ketamine for Matthew Perry because I wanted the money and because I thought I was doing a favor for a friend. I never contemplated the worst possible outcome. This grievous failure will haunt me forever."
Details of the Case
Four days before Perry's death, Fleming delivered 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000. Iwamasa injected Perry from that batch on October 28, 2023, and later found the actor dead in his Jacuzzi. The medical examiner determined that Perry died from acute effects of ketamine, with drowning as a secondary cause.
While Fleming faces a maximum of 25 years in prison, such a sentence is highly unlikely given his cooperation. His lawyers argue that he has undergone a transformative rehabilitation since Perry's death. "I will accept my punishment with humility and spend the rest of my life working to become worthy of forgiveness," Fleming stated.
Iwamasa is the final defendant to be sentenced in two weeks. Matthew Perry, who died at age 54, achieved global fame as Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom "Friends," which aired from 1994 to 2004. An auction of his belongings, including "Friends" memorabilia, will benefit the foundation established in his name.
