Jasveen Sangha, known as the 'Ketamine Queen', has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in supplying illegal drugs that contributed to the death of actor Matthew Perry. Sangha, 42, appeared in court on Wednesday, expressing regret for her actions and stating, "I take full responsibility for my actions. These were horrible choices that ultimately proved tragic."

District Judge Sherilyn Garnett agreed with the prison term recommended by federal prosecutors and imposed the 15-year sentence. Sangha pleaded guilty in September to five felony drug counts linked to the 54-year-old Perry's death. Her defense lawyers had requested a sentence limited to time already served, as she has been in custody for nearly a year and eight months since her arrest in 2024.

Judge Garnett cited Sangha's continued sale of ketamine after Perry's death as a key factor in the harsher sentence, indicating a perceived lack of remorse. Federal officials noted that Perry became addicted to ketamine through infusions at a clinic intended to treat anxiety and depression, and when doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to alternative sources that allegedly exploited his addiction for financial gain.

Sangha admitted to selling 51 vials of ketamine to a go-between named Erik Fleming, who then sold them to Perry through the actor's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. Prosecutors claim that Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of ketamine from these vials, leading to his death from the "acute effects of ketamine" in 2023.

Sangha pleaded guilty to charges including maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of illegal distribution of ketamine, and one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death. Her lawyer, Mark Geragos, expressed frustration after the hearing, arguing that the sentence is disproportionately severe compared to others involved, such as the doctors sentenced in connection to Perry's death.

Source: www.aljazeera.com