Matthew Perry’s Assistant Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Prison for Actor’s Fatal Ketamine Overdose
- Kris Avalon
- 34 minutes ago
- 3 min read

Matthew Perry’s assistant, Kenneth “Kenny” Iwamasa, was sentenced to 41 months in prison on Wednesday for his role in the actor’s fatal ketamine overdose, according to People.
via: People
In addition, Iwamasa was ordered to pay separate fines of $10,000 and $100, and be on supervised released for two years. He must surrender to authorities by 12 p.m. on July 17 to begin his sentence behind bars.
Iwamasa previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He was one of five defendants charged in connection with Perry's death and the last to learn his fate.
His attorneys had asked Los Angeles Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett for a sentence of six months in prison and six months home confinement at the hearing Wednesday, May 27, while prosecutors asked for 41 months and three years supervised release, along with the $10,000 and $100 fees.
Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, with his death being ruled the result of acute effects of ketamine.
As part of his plea agreement, Iwamasa admitted to injecting the actor "repeatedly" in the days leading up to his death, including three times on the day Perry died.

That day, after Perry had already been given two doses of ketamine, he asked his assistant to "shoot me up with a big one," according to the plea agreement. Iwamasa then left the actor's Los Angeles, Calif. home to run errands. When he returned, Perry was dead, discovered face down in his jacuzzi.
After the judge handed him his sentence Wednesday, Iwamasa stood before Perry's family and friends in the courtroom, including Perry's mother, Suzanne, and her husband, Keith Morrison.
“I'm so sorry to all of you," he said. "You all know how much Matthew loved you. I'm so sorry to have done illegal acts. I will forever regret it and I will take it to my grave and be a cautionary tale and make better choices than I did. I'm horribly, horribly sorry and I offer my condolences to you.”
Four other defendants were also sentenced in connection with Perry's death.
Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" by federal prosecutors, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on April 8 after pleading guilty to to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury for her role in Perry's death.
Prosecutors said Sangha distributed drugs to Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of Perry's, who then distributed them to Iwamasa.

In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming sold Perry — via Iwamasa — 51 vials of ketamine, according to prosecutors.
Fleming was sentenced 24 months in prison on May 13 after he pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Mark Chavez, a doctor in San Diego, was sentenced to three years of probation, eight months of home detention and was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Salvador Plasencia, a Santa Monica doctor, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in December 2025 after pleading guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.



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