Five people charged in Matthew Perry death investigation

Federal and local law enforcement officials on Thursday announced that multiple arrests were made in connection to the overdose death of Matthew Perry.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada announced five defendants, including two doctors, were arrested and charged with multiple counts during a live press conference.

The “Friends” star died Oct. 28 after an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. He was 54.  

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The defendants arrested are: Jasveen Sangha, 41, a.k.a. “The Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood; Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica; Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne; Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake; and Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego.

Estrada said at one point that the defendants distributed approximately “20 vials for approximately $50,000 in cash” to Perry for Kenneth (Kenny) Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant, to distribute the drug to the actor. During another sale, the dealers “took advantage of Mr. Perry” by selling approximately “50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000 in cash.”

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Iwamasa served as Perry’s personal assistant prior to his death. He allegedly conspired with Sangha, Fleming and Plasencia to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to the late actor, according to court documents, and Iwamasa admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on the day Perry died.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada announces charges made in the Matthew Perry death investigation. (Reuters/David Swanson)

Iwamasa pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, and, per Estrada, has already filed a plea agreement.

Sangha and Plasencia are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha is also charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

If convicted of all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Plasencia would face up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each records falsification count.

Perry described using ketamine therapy in his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” (Getty Images)

Fleming pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry. He also agreed to a plea deal.

Chavez agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as part of his plea agreement. The San Diego-based doctor admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic.

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Los Angeles Police Department officials previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that the department was still actively working on the investigation.

“The Department has an open and ongoing investigation into Matthew Perry‘s death,” authorities said.  

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said doctors “took advantage” of Perry by selling him large amounts of ketamine, which ultimately killed him. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles Police Capt. Scot Williams said in an email that the department was working with the DEA and U.S. Postal Inspection Service to determine why Perry had so much ketamine in his system when he died in October, The Associated Press reported.

Perry’s autopsy results, which were released in December, detected trace amounts of ketamine in his stomach. His death was listed due to the “acute effects of ketamine.”

Other conditions that contributed to his death included “coronary artery disease, buprenorphrine effects,” the report said. “Prescription medications and loose pills” were found at the residence.

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“Alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, PCP, fentanyl were all not detected (negative),” the autopsy revealed.

“The exact method of intake in Mr. Perry’s case is unknown,” the report stated. 

Perry portrayed Chandler Bing on the NBC sitcom “Friends,” which debuted in 1994. (Jon Ragel)

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug with “established medical and surgical uses,” the autopsy detailed. Perry reportedly received “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety.”

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His last known treatment was more than one week prior to his death, but the medical examiner determined “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”

No foul play was suspected, and no illegal drugs were reportedly found at the scene. Perry was laid to rest Nov. 3 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.