Four men have been charged in the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams, a federal prosecutor said.
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that Irvin Cartagena has been charged in a criminal complaint unsealed yesterday (1 February) in Manhattan federal court with a narcotics conspiracy in which he distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of Michael K. Williams.
In another criminal complaint unsealed today, co-conspirators Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci were charged as members of the fentanyl and heroin conspiracy.
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Cartagena was arrested in Puerto Rico yesterday and is expected to be presented tomorrow in federal court in Puerto Rico.
Robles, Cruz, and Macci were arrested yesterday and will be presented today in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
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.
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"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.
"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."
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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."
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.
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"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.
"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."
Michael K. Williams died aged just 54 on 6 September 2021.
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