An official court date has been set for the trial of the so-called “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who are accused of supplying Matthew Perry with the drugs that led to his October 28, 2023 overdose.
If found guilty, the pair could face decades in prison. When this article was published, Sangha and Plasencia entered not guilty pleas.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada wrote in legal documents that Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia “took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction problems to enrich himself.”
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett set the two’s joint trial date for March 4, 2025.
Sangha and Plasencia were arrested on August 15 for conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha has also been charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, five counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of maintaining a premises involving drugs.
Plasencia also faces seven counts of ketamine distribution and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records. He is said to have collaborated with Dr. Mark Chavez, who has signed a plea deal and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth on Oct. 2.
“If convicted of all charges, Sangha faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. Plasencia could face up to 10 years in prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years in prison for each document falsification count,” U.S. Attorney Estrada’s office said in a statement.
Erik Fleming and Kenneth Iwamasa, defendants in the case, have their own hearings before Judge Garnett, scheduled for October 30 and November 6, respectively. Sangha is currently in custody, while Plasencia, Fleming and Iwamasa alongside Chavez are out on bail.
Perry was best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom “Friends,” which ran from 1994 to 2004.