Two other individuals—a personal assistant living with Perry and a reputed drug distributor—were charged on Thursday in connection with the actor's death last year due to ketamine use.
Federal prosecutors announced on Thursday that two California doctors, a notorious drug dealer known as the "Ketamine Queen," a suspected drug distributor, and a personal assistant who lived with Matthew Perry have been charged in relation to the actor's fatal overdose.
Perry, 54, was found face down in the heated pool at his home in Pacific Palisades on October 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office determined that his death was due to acute effects of ketamine, a anesthetic drug with hallucinogenic properties.
According to a superseding indictment comprising 18 counts, Jasveen Sangha, a North Hollywood resident known for selling ketamine and other drugs, provided ketamine to Perry's assistant, which ultimately led to the actor's death. The indictment states that assistant Kenneth Iwamasa administered the drug to Perry on the day he died. The syringe was provided by Salvador Plasencia, a doctor who had previously distributed ketamine to Perry and his assistant.
Sangha and Plasencia were both arrested on Thursday in Southern California. Sangha's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She was previously arrested in March related to a separate federal drug case but was released after posting $100,000 bail, according to court records. Plasencia's attorney is not listed in the court filings.
The family of "Dateline" reporter Keith Morrison, Perry's stepfather, issued a statement welcoming the news of law enforcement action. “We have been and remain heartbroken by Matthew's death, but knowing that law enforcement is taking his case very seriously has helped,” the family said. “We hope justice will be served.”
The Los Angeles Police Department stated in May that they were working with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine that Perry consumed.
Ketamine has been a popular party drug for decades. In recent years, it has shown promise as an alternative treatment for depression. An increasing number of clinics are offering it in infusion or injection forms for various mental health issues.
