Matthew Perry’s death from acute effects of the prescription drug ketamine has been the source of an ongoing criminal investigation. For seven months, authorities have examined where the actor got the powerful medication. His autopsy report also determined the level found in his blood was the equivalent to the amount that would be used during general anesthesia.
A law enforcement source close to the investigation told PEOPLE this week that “multiple people” should be charged in connection with the probe handled by the LAPD, DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspector, which according to the source was “nearing its conclusion.”
The source says the U.S. Attorney’s Office will make the ultimate decision on whether or not to press charges. But what charges might someone face — and why?
Since the California branch of the Drug Enforcement Agency is involved in the investigation, experts say that federal authorities may be looking at distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death or conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death charges following his Oct. 28, 2023 death.
“This, primarily, is what is used to charge drug dealers, but it can be used to charge pill mills and doctors as well,” says former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani. “Doctors that are overprescribing and not seeing patients absolutely would be charged under this section.”
Rahmani says there are different possible sentences for offenders depending on a number of factors.
“If you distribute drugs and someone dies, there’s different mandatory minimums,” he says. “There’s even mandatory life, depending on the number of factors.”
