Ketamine Queen Pleads Guilty in Actor’s Overdose Death Case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” has agreed to plead guilty to five federal charges related to the overdose death of actor Perry. Sangha, 42, becomes the final defendant in the case, striking a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Sangha’s plea includes 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, according to prosecutors. They described her as a prolific drug dealer who was well-known among her customers.

Prosecutors stated that Sangha sold four vials of ketamine to Cody McLaury just hours before he died from an overdose in 2019. Although McLaury had no connection to Perry, he became part of the investigation into the distribution of the drug.

In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors will drop three additional counts related to ketamine distribution and one count related to methamphetamine that was not tied to Perry’s case. Sangha will formally change her plea at a future hearing, where sentencing will also be scheduled. She faces a maximum of 45 years in prison.

Perry, 54, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, 2023, with ketamine being cited as the primary cause of death. He had been receiving the drug as part of a treatment for depression, which he sought from various sources, including Sangha.

Before his death, Perry purchased large amounts of ketamine from Sangha with assistance from his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and friend Erik Fleming. On the day Perry died, Sangha advised Fleming to delete their messages, implying awareness of the ongoing investigation.

In a raid on her home in North Hollywood in March 2024, Drug Enforcement Administration agents discovered large quantities of ketamine and methamphetamines. She was indicted that June and has remained in custody since her arrest in August. No defendants in this case have been sentenced yet.