Michael K. Williams Death Investigation Update: 4 Men Arrested

Michael K. Williams Death Investigation Update: 4 Men Arrested

Six months ago, “The Wire” star Michael K. Williams was found dead at age 54 in his Brooklyn penthouse.

The chief medical examiner in New York City told TMZ that Williams died of acute intoxication from a lethal combination of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.

Now, four men have been arrested in connection with his death.

On Wednesday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Irvin Cartagena was charged with allegedly selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams.

Three men — Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci — were listed as “co-conspirators” and charged as “members of the fentanyl and heroin conspiracy” in another unsealed complaint.

In the press release, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “Michael K. Williams, a prominent actor and producer, tragically overdosed in his New York City apartment from fentanyl-laced heroin. Today, along with our law enforcement partners at the NYPD, we announce the arrests of members of a drug crew, including Irvin Cartagena, the man who we allege sold the deadly dose of drugs to Michael K. Williams.”

He continued, “This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop. 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. 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.”

In a separate statement, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said, “As these federal charges show, the NYPD’s narcotics and precinct detectives in Brooklyn North lived this case, never relenting in their investigation until they could bring a measure of justice to Michael K. Williams and his family. It is a level of dedication the NYPD carries out in every case, from beginning to end, in every instance where criminals peddle narcotics and prey on the innocent, and where people die from illegal drugs.”

She continued, “I commend our NYPD investigators, working closely with their federal partners in the United States Attorney’s Office, in the Southern District of New York, for their work to clean up this long-embattled block in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and for their sustained commitment to follow every lead this case wrought, from New York City to Puerto Rico and back.”

The press release also included surveillance images of the alleged drug deal between Williams and Cartagena.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, “Despite knowing that Williams died after being sold the DTO’s [drug trafficking organization’s] product, Cartagena, Robles, Cruz, and Macci continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin, in broad daylight, amidst residential apartment buildings, in Brooklyn and Manhattan.”

The charges against the four men carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years. Cartagena has also been charged with “causing the death of Williams in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison,” the Department of Justice said.

Williams had been candid over the years about his substance-abuse issues.

The actor had also delivered a tribute to DMX at the BET Awards in June, two months after the legendary rapper’s death from a cocaine-induced heart attack and less than three months before his own tragically early passing.

Back in February 2020, Williams wrote about mortality in the wake of a loved one’s death and the loss of Kobe Bryant. See the post here.