Kenneth Iwamasa, who once served as assistant to Matthew Perry, has been sentenced to over three years behind bars for administering ketamine to the “Friends” actor on the day of his tragic passing.

The 54-year-old Perry was found dead in October 2023 after a drowning incident in his Los Angeles home’s jacuzzi, attributed to a ketamine overdose. His last request to Iwamasa reportedly was to “shoot me up with a big one,” leading to his final injection.

At 60, Iwamasa became the first among five individuals linked to Perry’s demise to strike a plea agreement with prosecutors by August 2024.

Aside from serving 41 months in prison, Iwamasa faces fines amounting to $10,100 and will be under supervised release for two years post-incarceration.

He has been instructed to turn himself in by noon on July 17 to commence his prison term.

Facing Perry’s loved ones in court in LA on Wednesday, Iwamasa took the stand to say he was ‘horribly, horribly sorry’ for his role in Perry’s death.

Matthew Perry’s one-time assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who injected the Friends star ‘repeatedly’ with ketamine on the day he died, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison – pictured May 27

Perry died aged 54 in October of 2023 after drowning in a jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles following a ketamine overdose. Pictured April 2023 in LA 

The actor’s final request to Iwamasa was ‘shoot me up with a big one’ before the injection was administered – pictured together February 2023, eight months before his death

He said: ‘I’m so sorry to all of you. I’m just so sorry to have done illegal acts that I will forever regret. I will take it to my grave.

‘I hope I’ll be a cautionary tale to someone who’s in my position to make better choices.’

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said Iwamasa knew of Perry’s addiction battles, and pointed to his concealing of evidence when sentencing him.

The sentencing marks the end of a more than two-year legal saga, which has seen four other people in Perry’s inner circle convicted for their part in his overdose. 

Ahead of Iwamasa’s sentencing, Perry’s mother Suzanne Morrison and sisters Caitlin and Madeline submitted letters lambasting Iwamasa.

Caitlin wrote: ‘I have no sympathy for Kenny Iwamasa’ adding Iwamasa was ‘either escaping from something he knew he had done or he was willfully abandoning a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation’ when he left Perry on the night of his death.

Iwamasa had previously appealed for leniency at his sentencing hearing, claiming he could not ‘simply say no’ to the actor.

In exchange for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, Iwamasa agreed to be a key witness against others charged in relation to the star’s death. 

Perry paid Iwamasa $150,000 a year to be his live-in personal assistant and it was Iwamasa, who had no medical training, who injected the actor with ultimately fatal doses of ketamine on October 28, 2023.

He left the actor to run errands, and when he returned, found Perry dead in the jacuzzi.  

Iwamasa disagreed with prosecutors’ claim that be could have just said ‘no’ when Perry asked for ketamine, in court documents obtained by TMZ.

Facing Perry’s loved ones in court on Wednesday, Iwamasa took the stand to say he was ‘horribly, horribly sorry’ for his role in Perry’s death

Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, left, and stepfather Keith Morrison attended court for the sentencing 

Morrison also previously claimed Iwamasa ‘killed my son’; Perry is seen with sister Emily and mom Suzanne

The Friends actor was found dead face down in his jacuzzi back on October 29, 2023, leaving Hollywood shaken to its core. Pictured April 22, 2023, six months before his death

He was also accused of destroying evidence of the late actor’s drug use in the wake of his death.

Iwamasa sought to cover up proof of Perry’s drug use one hour after Perry’s death at his Pacific Palisades, California home, according to a recent filing from federal prosecutors reviewed by TMZ. 

After Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC series, was found dead face down in his jacuzzi, Iwamasa got to work destroying hard copies and digital evidence involving the actor’s use of ketamine, federal authorities said in their latest filing.

Prosecutors said Iwamasa told another person to get rid of proof of the network of individuals that set up a supply chain of drugs for the actor’s personal use.

Iwamasa, a native of Toluca Lake, California, was untruthful on multiple occasions once the investigation into the actor’s passing commenced, prosecutors said in the filing.

Five people were arrested in connection with the death of the actor following a federal probe of how Perry obtained the drugs that killed him. Pictured in 2012 

Iwamasa tried to conceal that he had personally administered several shots of ketamine to Perry in the hours prior to his passing, according to prosecutors.

The assistant also falsely claimed Perry was responsible for hiding the bottles of ketamine in the home, prosecutors said in the legal filing.

He informed Erik Fleming, another associate in the network, that he ‘cleaned up the scene’ of the actor’s home after he died, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Iwamasa told Fleming that he destroyed physical evidence, changed Perry’s digital passwords and ‘deleted everything’ from computers as he sought to cover up evidence of the star’s ketamine use.

Madeline said that Iwamasa’s behavior was suspicious in the wake of her brother’s passing.

‘A few days after Matthew died, my sister and I went to choose clothes for him to be buried in – one of the most surreal and heartbreaking experiences of my life,’ Madeline said. ‘I remember how manic and unsettled Kenny seemed.

‘He repeatedly volunteered his version of events without being asked, as if he were being interviewed rather than mourning a friend.’

She added, ‘In reality he was trying to distract us from the truth: that he had injected my brother with a lethal dose of ketamine and left him in a hot tub to die.’

The sentencing comes two weeks after Perry’s drug counselor Erik Fleming was ordered to serve two years.

An emotional Fleming said: ‘It’s truly a nightmare I can’t wake up from. I’m haunted by the mistakes I made.’

A judge ordered Fleming, who has been free on bond for about two years, to turn himself in to serve his term in 45 days. He was also sentenced to three years of probation.

This came a month after Perry’s ‘Ketamine Queen’ drug dealer Jasveen Sangha was handed down 15 years in prison, along with three years of supervised release.

Sangha pled guilty to five federal charges related to Perry’s death and has been in federal custody since her arrest in August 2024.

Fleming connected Perry to Sangha and ultimately gave her up to investigators.

The prosecutors wrote in a filing that ‘Sangha’s actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims’ families and loved ones.’ 

The sentencing comes a month after Perry’s ‘Ketamine Queen’ drug dealer Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison , along with three years of supervised release 

Earlier this month drug counselor Erik Fleming, 56, was ordered to serve two years – pictured May 13

Perry played Chandler Bing on the NBC series Friends opposite Jennifer Aniston 

In December 2025 Dr Salvador Plasencia, 44 – who sold Perry Ketamine in the lead up to his death – was sentenced to two and a half years behind bars for his role in the star’s death – pictured July 2025 

In December 2025 Dr Salvador Plasencia, 44 – who sold Perry Ketamine in the lead up to his death –  was sentenced to two and a half years behind bars for his role in the star’s death.

Following that, he will be on supervised release for a further two years. He was remanded in custody inside the courtroom.

Judge Garnett told him: ‘You took a Hippocratic oath to do no harm, but you did harm.’

Earlier in proceedings Plascencia cried in court as he told Perry’s mother: ‘I am so sorry.’

Later that month disgraced physician Mark Chavez was sentenced to eight months of home confinement, despite facing the possibility of a decade behind bars.

He pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine after admitting he sold fraudulently obtained ketamine to fellow doctor Plasencia. 

Stripped of his medical license and reputation, Chavez is now scraping by as a ride-share driver, his lawyers said, urging the court to credit him with time already served. 

Later that month disgraced physician Mark Chavez was sentenced to eight months of home confinement, despite facing the possibility of a decade behind bars.(pictured 2024)

‘He now supports himself through ride-share driving, earns modest income, and has no remaining assets after the loss of his career, his reputation, and his financial stability,’ defense attorneys wrote in papers dated Dec. 3.

Perry battled addiction for many years, a struggle that intensified during his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing.

His rise to fame alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer on the iconic Friends sitcom from 1994 to 2004 was overshadowed by personal struggles. 

Perry openly admitted that his addiction issues frequently interfered with his work during those years.

EXCLUSIVE: In a recent turn of events, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has criticized Massachusetts’ sanctuary policies following the arrest of an illegal immigrant by ICE. This individual is accused of assaulting a man with a baseball bat, mere days after local authorities allegedly released him without informing federal officials.

Dhaval Amratbhai Patel, an undocumented immigrant hailing from India, found himself in legal trouble after his apprehension by the Worcester Police Department on May 16. He now faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

According to a police report, the incident began with an argument between Patel and a customer at the liquor store where Patel was employed. The confrontation escalated, leading Patel to seize a baseball bat and strike the customer, as detailed by DHS.

Patel, now facing serious charges, remains at the center of a debate surrounding sanctuary policies. The situation escalated after the Massachusetts court reportedly refused to honor a detainer, which led to his subsequent arrest by ICE.

MIGRANT ACCUSED OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARRESTED BY ICE AFTER MASSACHUSETTS COURT REFUSED TO HONOR DETAINER

Officials said sanctuary politicians in Massachusetts did not cooperate with ICE law enforcement, and Patel was released from jail without notification to immigration authorities. 

ICE arrested Patel two days later on May 18, according to DHS.

FILE – Police cars outside of the Worcester Police Headquarters in Worcester, MA. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“This illegal alien from India thought he could go around beating people with a baseball bat. Sanctuary politicians released him from jail after his arrest for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon,” said DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis. “Sanctuary politicians must stop choosing to release criminals into our communities and work with DHS to get criminals out of country.”

“By refusing to cooperate with ICE law enforcement, sanctuary politicians are putting the safety of their citizens at risk,” Bis added.

FILE — The exterior of the Worcester Police Headquarters in Worcester, MA. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

It is unclear where and when Patel illegally entered the U.S.

The Worcester Police Department and Worcester County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

A provocative new ballot initiative in Oregon is stirring up debate, as it seeks to redefine the boundaries of animal welfare and potentially criminalize traditional outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. This contentious proposal is edging closer to a public vote, according to state officials.

Referred to as Initiative Petition 28, the measure aims to ban the killing or causing injury to any animals, even if it’s for purposes like hunting or fishing. The initiative has successfully gathered approximately 120,000 signatures, surpassing the threshold of around 117,000 required to place it on the November ballot, as reported by The Oregonian.

Beyond targeting hunting and fishing, the proposal also seeks to outlaw practices such as slaughtering livestock, utilizing animals in rodeos, and conducting scientific research involving animals. The initiative is far-reaching, proposing restrictions on commercial poultry operations and traditional agricultural practices like castrating or neutering livestock.

Along with banning hunting and fishing, the legislation would also prohibit slaughtering livestock and using animals in rodeos and for scientific research.

It would also prohibit operating a commercial poultry business and castrating or neutering livestock, among other practices.

Hunting advocates said the legislation misses the mark — by a mile.

“[It’s] an all out assault on Oregonians’ way of life,” gubernatorial candidate Sen. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) told the Statesman Journal.

“It criminalizes ranchers, farmers, meat producers and threatens to kill thousands of jobs. It would mean the end of hunting and fishing in Oregon, killing not only traditions and ending access to an essential source of food, but butchering natural resource-based industries that support hunting and fishing,” she said.

Farmers, meanwhile, said the bill would hurt local ranchers and be a shot to the state’s economy.

“This would expose farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, breeders and animal owners to criminal liability for standard, humane practices that are essential to animal health, food production and genetic management,” Oregon Farm Bureau said on its website.

A portion of the signatures collected for the initiative will likely be ruled ineligible, such as any from individuals who are not registered voters — but organizers have until July 2 to submit enough valid signatures.

“We want people to actually recognize that is a choice that we could make to shift away from killing animals, to treat all those other animals the same way we treat our companion animals,” David Michelson, leader of the campaign, told the Oregonian Tuesday.

“I think that it is definitely possible that we could qualify, that we could turn in enough signatures, but we will be using every day before the deadline to collect signatures,” he said.

The initiative, which has failed to make it onto the ballot in the past, aims to push the state towards more plant-based food.

“We believe it is possible to meet all of our needs as human beings while simultaneously meeting the needs of the animals we inhabit this state with,” the measure’s website states.

  “Using the killing of animals as a strategy to meet our needs is a choice, and our campaign wants to propose making a different one. Whether that looks like greater investment in plant agriculture, utilizing non-lethal wildlife management practices, or implementing non-animal methods for research, many alternative strategies already exist to choose from,” it reads.

The measure would have narrow exemptions for self-defense and veterinary practices, adocates said.

The Oregon Hunters Association, which opposes the bill, estimates more than 1 million people in the state would be impacted by the ban on hunting, fishing and farming.

Frightening footage shows the moment an Alabama news station was struck by a tornado while live on air.

Jordan Ambrose, WDHN’s chief meteorologist, described the development as the dramatic event was unfolding on Monday night.

‘Looks like we’ve heard glass break. If we’re on air, if we can cut it onto live TV: A tornado has just gone through the station here at WDHN,’ he told viewers in Dothan and Webb.

Security footage shows the moment a WDHN staffer was seen in the station’s lobby fleeing from a glass door as it began to break from winds brought by the storm.

The following day, the team at WDNH delivered a report on recent calamities, with Morning anchor Joseph Sims spearheading the broadcast. The segment opened with images of several trees, uprooted and scattered around the vicinity of the station’s property.

“What you’re witnessing behind me is the aftermath of the storm that struck our station at WDHN,” Sims narrated, as the camera offered a view of the station’s roof and awning, both of which had been torn apart by the tempest.

“These structures were lifted by the ferocious winds and hurled across the building,” Sims explained, capturing the force of the storm.

The footage also revealed significant damage to the ‘WDHN’ sign, highlighting the extent of the storm’s impact. The images painted a vivid picture of the destruction left in its wake.

Jordan Ambrose, WDHN’s chief meteorologist, reported on the tornado as it hit the Alabama station’s headquarters on Monday night

The tornado first touched down near Webb around Alabama Highway 52 near the WDHN studios at around 7.30pm

At least one home in the area was completely destroyed, local police said earlier this week

A ‘WDHN’ sign was also severely damaged, footage showed. 

The tornado first touched down near Webb and the WDHN studios at around 7.30pm.

It resurfaced again a few miles north before causing even heavier damage, Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship told rival Dothan station WTVY on Monday night.

At least one home in the area was completely destroyed, Blankenship said. No one was inside at the time.

Roughly 2,000 Alabamans were left without power because of the weather, outage maps cited by WTVY showed.

The tornado was one of at least six to hit the state over the long weekend. A cold front that moved through Alabama on Friday was the likely cause. It brought severe thunderstorms and estimated peak winds of 107mph.

Ambrose, after days of reporting on the extreme weather, joined his WDHN costar Camila Figueroa on Tuesday to speak about the scare.

Asked what the experience was like, he admitted it ‘was slightly nerve-wracking.’ 

‘I’m not gonna lie,’ he told Figueroa. ‘Even though a lot of people said I was calm. It’s all about, what I call, compartmentalizing.

Another station staffer was seen fleeing the facility’s front door just as the tornado struck

The tornado left multiple trees uprooted in the station’s parking lot, footage showed

The WDHN team reported on the damage again a day later. The station’s roof and awning had been ripped apart

‘And realizing that if I’m nervous or sound nervous, everybody else is going to be nervous. 

‘So the first thing that I thought is, “I hear a lot of noise. Is everybody else safe around the station?”

‘And I heard people scattering to their safe place, and I heard the glass break.

‘Once that happened, I was like, ok, this is a very serious situation – but how do I communicate this effectively? Where everybody can hear me?’ Ambrose continued. 

He recalled how he ‘just took deep breath’ and put himself ‘in a situation that I can handle.’ 

The Daily Mail understands that no one at WDHN was injured during the incident.

The Mail approached WDHN’s parent company, Nexstar Media Group, for comment.