Four people have been arrested and charged in connection with the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Williams, best known for playing Omar on the HBO series The Wire, was found dead in his New York apartment in September after overdosing on fentanyl-laced heroin. On Wednesday, prosecutors announced they have arrested "members of a drug crew," including Irvin Cartagena, who allegedly sold Williams the drugs in September 2021. Three others, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci, were also arrested as alleged co-conspirators.
"This is a public health crisis," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. "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. ... We will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The four defendants are charged with "conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin," while Cartagena is also charged with causing Williams' death "in connection with the narcotics conspiracy," prosecutors said. They said the defendants "continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin, in broad daylight, amidst residential apartment buildings, in Brooklyn and Manhattan," despite knowing the drugs they sold caused Williams' death.
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said she hoped the arrests would bring a "measure of justice to Michael K. Williams and his family." Williams' representative said in September his family was dealing with "deep sorrow" over "this insurmountable loss," and tributes quickly poured in from his fellow actors.
"Michael was a brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being, who has left us far too soon," Kerry Washington said at the 2021 Emmys. "Your excellence, your artistry, will endure. We love you."
-
Should you add your child to your credit card?The Explainer You can make them an authorized user on your account in order to help them build credit
-
Cracker Barrel crackup: How the culture wars are upending corporate brandingIn the Spotlight Is it 'woke' to leave nostalgia behind?
-
'It's hard to discern what it actually means'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
