Four persons have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of Michael K. Williams, the Hollywood actor.
The US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York disclosed this in a press release on Wednesday.
Williams, who is prominent for his role as Omar on HBO’s ‘The Wire’, was found dead in his Brooklyn flat in September 2021. He died at the age of 54.
The movie star was found unconscious in the dining room of his luxury Williamsburg pad with what appeared to be heroin on the kitchen table.
According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), his death is being investigated as a possible drug overdose.
It was gathered that drug paraphernalia was found in the five-time Emmy nominee’s apartment, suggesting that Williams may have fatally overdosed on heroin or fentanyl.
The four men — Irvin Cartagena, 39; Hector Robles, 57; Luiz Cruz, 56; and Carlos Macci, 70 — are accused of narcotics conspiracy.
The suspects, said to be part of a Brooklyn drug trafficking crew, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly selling Williams the lethal dose.
Damian Williams, the US attorney, in the court filing, said a surveillance video captured a hand-to-hand drug transaction between Williams and Cartagena one day before the actor died.
They were each charged with “conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin,” according to court filings.
It is understood that the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years.
“This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop,” the US attorney said.
“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.”
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