Ketamine case: Matthew Perry's counsellor sentenced to two years
Ketamine case: Matthew Perry's counsellor sentenced to two years
A drug addiction counsellor linked to Matthew Perry's ketamine death is sentenced to two years in prison, plus supervised release and a small penalty.
A drug addiction counsellor involved in the overdose death of Friends star Matthew Perry has been sentenced to two years in federal prison. Erik Fleming, 56, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and is one of five people accused of exploiting Perry's addiction and supplying the drug.
Fleming sourced the surgical anaesthetic ketamine from a Los Angeles woman dubbed the 'Ketamine Queen' and supplied it to the actor, including 51 vials, with the dose that killed him, according to court records.
The sentencing also includes three years of supervised release and a $200 penalty. Prosecutors had urged a longer term—about two-and-a-half years in prison—while Fleming's lawyers asked for three months in prison followed by nine months in a residential treatment setting. Fleming told the judge in court that the situation is a nightmare he cannot wake from and that he is haunted by his mistakes, expressing deep remorse for the harm caused.
Perry was found dead in October 2023 in his backyard jacuzzi in Southern California, with the death ruled to be caused by the acute effects of ketamine. Fleming is one of five people—along with medical doctors and the actor's assistant—charged in connection with the case. The sentencing marks a definitive step in a complex legal case surrounding Perry's death.
