Drug counselor who distributed ketamine that killed Matthew Perry sentenced to 2 years

BREAKING NEWSUpdated 13 minutes agoU.S. newsU.S. newsDrug counselor who distributed ketamine that killed Matthew Perry sentenced to 2 yearsProsecutors said Erik Fleming sold 51 vials of liquid ketamine to the “Friends” star in October 2023, including the portion that killed him.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Matthew Perry in London, England. David M. Benett / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 13, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT / Updated May 13, 2026, 2:05 PM EDTBy Dennis Romero and Kevin NiousThe man who pleaded guilty to distributing the ketamine that killed actor Matthew Perry was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Erik Fleming pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious injury. He appeared Wednesday morning in Los Angeles federal court, where a judge decided on a 24-month sentence with no fine.Federal prosecutors recommended a 30-month sentence and three years supervised release, arguing that Fleming was well aware of Perry’s history of addiction and sought to profit from the actor regardless of the “warning signs of drug seeking behavior.” Fleming’s lawyers, citing his cooperation and contrition, argued for three months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.In court documents, prosecutors said Fleming was a licensed drug counselor who reached out to Perry in 2023 after learning through a friend that the actor was seeking ketamine. Fleming, 56, sold 51 10 ml vials of liquid ketamine to the “Friends” star in October 2023, including the portion that killed him, prosecutors alleged.“Despite knowing the risks and dangers of selling the drugs, defendant brokered multiple drug transactions that ultimately killed Mr. Perry,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote in a sentencing memo to the court.In a let...