LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles woman widely referred to as the “Ketamine Queen” was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in the case tied to Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose. Jasveen Sangha admitted she provided the ketamine that prosecutors say led to the actor’s death in October 2023.
Sangha, 42, appeared in Los Angeles federal court with her ankles shackled and told the judge she took “full responsibility for my actions.” The sentencing followed emotional victim impact statements from Perry’s family, who urged the court to impose a substantial prison term.
Court Hears From Family
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett imposed the sentence after hearing from relatives of the “Friends” star and from prosecutors, who argued Sangha should receive 15 years because of what they described as her “cold callousness and disregard for life.”
Perry’s stepmother, Debbie Perry, told the court the harm was permanent and asked for the maximum penalty. Perry’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, also spoke, saying the judge was fair and that he believed the sentence was carefully considered. He said Sangha’s family also deserved sympathy, while adding that she had built a business around vulnerable people seeking drugs.
Drug Sales And Deaths
According to prosecutors, Sangha admitted in a plea agreement that she worked with another dealer to provide Perry with dozens of vials of ketamine, including the dose that led to his death. They said she had been running a high-volume drug operation out of her North Hollywood home since at least 2019, storing, packaging and distributing ketamine, methamphetamine and other drugs.
Prosecutors also tied her conduct to the 2019 overdose death of Los Angeles resident Cody McLaury, saying he died hours after Sangha sold him four vials of ketamine. In court, McLaury’s sister, Kimberly McLaury, said she texted Sangha to stop selling ketamine and told the judge that being caught was the only thing that stopped her.
What Happens Next
Sangha has been held since her arrest in August 2024. Her lawyers asked for time served, saying she had shown rehabilitation, sobriety and strong support for reentry, but prosecutors said recorded jail communications showed little remorse and an effort to treat the case as a possible money-making story.
Other defendants in the broader case have also pleaded guilty. Prosecutors said Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant, injected Perry with ketamine supplied through Sangha and Erik Fleming. Chavez and Salvador Plasencia were also convicted. Readers looking for updates should check the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which are handling the case and future sentencing dates.
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