One man, who was caught on camera making a transaction with the 'Wire' star in September 2011, and three others have been charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin laced with fentanyl.
- Feb 3, 2022
AceShowbiz - Four persons have been arrested in connection to Michael K. Williams' death by drug overdose. They were busted for allegedly being part of a drug trafficking organization that sold deadly fentanyl-laced heroin to the late actor.
According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, the four men were arrested on Tuesday, February 1. They were Irvin Cartagena, 39, Hector Robles, 57, Luis Cruz, 56, and Carlos Macci, 70.
They were each charged with "conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin." The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and maximum sentence of 40 years.
Cartagena is also charged with causing "The Wire" actor's death and faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to court filings. He was caught on camera personally making a transaction with Williams on September 5, 2021, allegedly taking cast from the actor in exchange for heroine which the authorities claim was laced with fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement after the arrests, "This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop." He claimed, "Deadly opioids like fentanyl and heroin don't care about who you are or what you've accomplished."
"They just feed addiction and lead to tragedy," he added. "The Southern District of New York and our law enforcement partners will not give up. We will bring every tool to bear. And we will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death."
Williams was found dead in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn, apartment on September 6, 2021. The NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner later confirmed that the producer died of a combination of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine, and ruled the death by overdose.
