Ketamine Queen SLAMMED In Federal Court

A Hollywood-style “anything goes” drug pipeline just ran into a hard federal wall after the so-called “Ketamine Queen” was handed a 15-year prison sentence tied to Matthew Perry’s death.

Quick Take

Federal court sentenced Jasveen Sangha—dubbed the “Ketamine Queen”—to 15 years in prison plus three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine tied to Matthew Perry’s 2023 overdose death.
Prosecutors argued Sangha kept dealing even after learning her ketamine had been linked to earlier deaths, and the judge rejected a defense request for time served.
The case maps a supply chain that ran through intermediaries, including Perry’s assistant and another middleman, with additional sentencings scheduled later in April 2026.
The prosecution signals a broader federal approach: treat overdose supply networks like serious trafficking operations, even when the customers are wealthy or famous.

Federal sentence lands in a case that exposed an elite drug market

Federal court in Los Angeles sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to five federal charges connected to illegally distributing ketamine that resulted in Matthew Perry’s death. Perry, best known for “Friends,” was found dead on October 28, 2023, in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. Investigators traced the case back through a network of sellers and intermediaries.

Prosecutors described Sangha as a dealer who branded herself for high-end clientele, earning the nickname “Ketamine Queen.” The timeline described in reporting places a key transaction on October 24, 2023, when Sangha allegedly sold 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000 to Perry’s representatives. She was indicted in August 2024, later pleaded guilty in August 2025, and was sentenced in April 2026 as the case moved toward its final chapters.

Judge rejected “time served,” emphasizing consequences over reputation

U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett imposed the 15-year sentence and, according to coverage, told Sangha she would need “epic resilience” during incarceration. Sangha’s attorneys urged leniency and argued for time served, citing what they called exemplary behavior while in custody. The judge did not accept that recommendation, aligning instead with the government’s request for the full term—an outcome that reflects how federal court treats distribution that results in death.

From a public-policy standpoint, the decision matters because it reinforces a basic line most Americans still agree on: laws should apply evenly, including inside privileged circles. The reporting portrays a dealer who marketed access and exclusivity, which highlights a cultural blind spot—rules that get enforced quickly in many neighborhoods can feel negotiable in elite ones. A stiff federal sentence sends the opposite message: status does not erase the consequences of trafficking lethal drugs.

Supply-chain accountability: more defendants still face sentencing

Sangha is the third of five defendants to be sentenced, with two additional sentencings pending. Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s personal assistant described as a middleman in the distribution chain, is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2026, and faces up to 15 years. Erik Fleming, described as another middleman coordinating sales, is scheduled for sentencing on April 29, 2026, and faces up to 25 years.

What the case says about enforcement—and what it doesn’t

Prosecutors emphasized that Sangha continued distributing drugs even after learning her supply contributed to earlier deaths, including a 2019 death identified in coverage as Cody McLaury. If that characterization is accurate, it strengthens the government’s argument that the conduct wasn’t a one-off mistake but part of a repeated, dangerous business model. The defense’s focus on behavior in custody may matter for rehabilitation, but it does not undo the underlying harm tied to distribution.

For conservatives who argue government often fails at core duties, this case shows one area where the system can still function: federal investigators followed the supply chain, prosecutors pursued stiff penalties, and a judge imposed a sentence consistent with the seriousness of a death-resulting drug offense. At the same time, the public still lacks many granular details about how such drugs move through “respectable” networks, and what safeguards failed around a controlled substance like ketamine.