Entertainment News2 min(s) read
Published 10:49 03 Feb 2022 GMT
Four men have been arrested in connection with the death of The Wire star Michael K Williams after they allegedly sold him the fentanyl-laced heroin he overdosed on in September, per BBC News.
The actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Omar Little in the popular HBO series, died at his penthouse apartment in Brooklyn last year.
It was previously ruled that the 54-year-old actor died of acute drug intoxication. He was found dead in his home by members of his family. New York City's medical examiner ruled his passing an accident at the time.
The suspects, Irvin Cartagena, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci, were all arrested on Tuesday, February 1.
The men were each charged with "conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analog, fentanyl, and heroin." The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years behind bars and a maximum sentence of 40 years.
Cartagena, who is believed to have personally given Williams heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analog, has also been charged with causing his death and faces a minimum sentence of 20 years behind bars and a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to court documents.
In a statement about the arrests, US Attorney Damian Williams said: "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."
Authorities are in possession of surveillance footage of the men allegedly selling drugs to Williams on the street the day before his dead body was found.
According to officials, they carried on selling the drugs at locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn even after learning about Williams' fate.
Williams received critical acclaim for his role in The Wire, in which he played a gay armed robber. He also played Albert 'Chalky' White in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.
He had spoken candidly about his previous drug use, admitting in a 2012 interview with the New Jersey Star-Ledger that while starring in The Wire, he would do drugs "in scary places with scary people". However, he stated at the time that he had taken "nothing stronger" than cocaine and marijuana.
