5 People Were Charged in Matthew Perry's Death — Here's What to Know About Overdose-Related Crimes

Five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death, officials announced on Aug. 15

Drug-related charges, such as the one five people have been charged with in connection with Matthew Perry's death are rare, a legal expert says.

Jasveen Sangha — who United States Attorney Martin Estrada said is referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" — and Dr. Salvador Plascencia are both currently facing charges in the case, the Department of Justice announced on Aug. 15.

Sangha is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine, per the DoJ. Plascencia, a licensed physician, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Related: Matthew Perry's Assistant 'Repeatedly' Injected Perry with Ketamine, Including on Day Actor Died

A former federal prosecutor tells PEOPLE he is not surprised that charges were filed in Perry’s death.

“Celebrities put a lot more pressure on prosecutors to act,” attorney Neama Rahmani tells PEOPLE. “Every prosecutor is either elected or appointed by someone who is. The practical reality is many of them want to make a name for themselves. You can't prosecute every case, so you'll end up prosecuting cases to send a message or to create a deterrent effect.”

Rahmani says the defendants are looking at sentences anywhere from five years to life.

“If you distribute drugs and someone dies, there's different mandatory minimums,” he adds. “There's five, ten, and 15 years. There's even mandatory life, depending on the number of factors.”

Related: Matthew Perry's Family Says Foundation Aims to Extend His 'Legacy and Hard-Won Wisdom' to Help Others (Exclusive)

The former Friends star died on Oct. 28 at age 54 from an accidental drug overdose. Perry died from acute effects of ketamine, according to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE. Other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects, referencing a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

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The Los Angeles Police Department started looking into the star’s death in May after the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner closed its investigation. An investigative source with the LAPD told PEOPLE that the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. postal inspectors were also involved in the probe.

Ketamine prosecutions are “definitely picking up,” says Rahmani, adding that ketamine is "a controversial drug."

Related: Multiple People Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death, Including Doctors and His Assistant

"A lot of people think it helps with depression and anxiety," Rahmani says. "Some people say it's life-changing if it's done in the right therapeutic setting, but it is a very commonly abused party drug.”

Also charged in connection with Perry's death were Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Dr. Mark Chavez and Erik Fleming. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, per the DoJ. Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, while Fleming pleaded to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, the DoJ announced. They all face prison time.

In 2022, Perry spoke with PEOPLE about his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, in which he openly talked about his struggles with addiction.

He said at the time that when people read the book, he thought they'd "be surprised at how bad it got at certain times and how close to dying I came. I say in the book that if I did die, it would shock people, but it wouldn't surprise anybody," he said. "And that's a very scary thing to be living with. So my hope is that people will relate to it, and know that this disease attacks everybody. It doesn't matter if you're successful or not successful, the disease doesn't care."

Related: Matthew Perry's Autopsy Is Complete, Pending Toxicology Results, Medical Examiner Says

After Perry's passing, his family told PEOPLE exclusively that they were "heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother."

"Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend," they added. "You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”

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