A licensed drug addiction counselor who supplied to before the actor’s fatal overdose was sentenced on Wednesday (May 13) to two years in federal prison in Los Angeles.
US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence to 56-year-old Erik Fleming, one of five defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with .
Fleming says he is “haunted” by his actions
Before sentencing, Fleming addressed the court and expressed remorse over his role in the case.
“It’s truly a nightmare I can’t wake up from,” Fleming told the judge. “I’m haunted by the mistakes I made.”
According to reports from the courtroom, Fleming appeared in a black suit and spoke in a somber tone during the hearing.
Fourth defendant sentenced in Perry death case
Fleming became the fourth defendant sentenced in the high-profile prosecution surrounding Perry’s death at his Los Angeles home in October 2023.
Prosecutors said Fleming connected Perry to , whom authorities described as a major
Sangha was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison.
Fleming was also the first defendant in the investigation to cooperate with federal authorities.
Cooperation helped reduce prison sentence
Fleming pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of distribution of resulting in death.
According to prosecutors, he began cooperating with investigators immediately after being contacted and provided information about Sangha before arrests in the case were publicly announced.
Federal sentencing guidelines suggested Fleming could have faced about four years in prison, but prosecutors acknowledged his extensive cooperation warranted a lighter sentence.
Still, prosecutors argued his role as a licensed addiction counselor made his conduct especially serious.
In a sentencing memo, prosecutors said Fleming “deliberately undertook to sell illegal street drugs to a
Defense sought reduced sentence
Defense attorneys had requested a far lighter punishment, asking the court to impose three months in prison followed by nine months in a residential drug treatment facility.
Lawyers argued Fleming had taken “extreme lengths to atone for his criminal conduct.”
In a letter submitted to the court, Fleming said he deeply regretted his involvement.
“I procured ketamine for Matthew Perry because I wanted the money and because I thought I was doing a favor for a friend,” Fleming wrote.
“I never contemplated the worst possible outcome. This grievous failure will haunt me forever.”
Ketamine deliveries escalated before Perry’s death
Court documents showed Perry had been legally receiving treatments for depression, an increasingly common off-label therapy.
However, prosecutors said the actor later sought larger amounts of ketamine outside medical supervision.
Perry reportedly asked a friend for help obtaining more of the drug. That individual introduced him to Fleming.
Authorities said Fleming obtained ketamine from Sangha, increased the price for profit and delivered it to Perry’s home, where it was sold to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
Among the deliveries were 25 vials of ketamine sold for $6,000 just four days before Perry’s death.
Perry died from acute ketamine effects
According to investigators, Iwamasa injected Perry with ketamine from that batch on October 28, 2023.
Hours later, Perry was found dead in the Jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home.
A medical examiner later concluded the actor died from the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning listed as a secondary cause of death.
Iwamasa is expected to become the final defendant sentenced in the case during hearings scheduled in two weeks.
Perry’s legacy continues after death
Perry died at age 54 after becoming one of television’s most recognisable stars through his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, the hugely successful NBC sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004.
Following his death, a foundation established in Perry’s name has focused on addiction recovery and mental health awareness.
An auction featuring Perry’s belongings and memorabilia from “Friends” is also expected to support the foundation’s work.
