Four people have been arrested in connection with last year’s drug overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.
On Wednesday (Feb. 2), federal prosecutors in Manhattan announced that the four suspects — Irvin Cartagena, Carlos Macci, Hector Robles and Luis Cruz — were each charged with narcotics conspiracy for distributing the fentanyl-laced heroin that caused Williams to overdose death last September. According to the New York Post, the men were reportedly members of a drug ring that worked on the south side of Williamsburg and sold cocaine that was laced with lethal fentanyl.
Surveillance video reportedly captured Cartagena handing the drugs to Williams the day before he was found dead in his apartment. The four suspects continued selling the deadly drugs at residential buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn, even after learning that their product was responsible for the “Lovecraft Country” actor’s overdose.
Macci, Robles and Cruz were apprehended Tuesday (Feb. 1) and are expected to appear in court Wednesday (Feb. 2). Cartagena was arrested in Puerto Rico on Tuesday and is anticipated to make his first court appearance on Thursday (Feb. 3) in federal court there.
“This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement disclosing the arrests. “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.”
As REVOLT previously reported, Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn home on Sept. 6, 2021 by his nephew after he missed an appearance that weekend. The New York City’s Chief Medical Examiner ruled that he died from “acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine.” Williams’ death was ruled accidental.
The Emmy-nominated actor was laid to rest on Sept. 14, 2021 after a private funeral service in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.