Drug Dealer Who Sold Michael K. Williams Heroin Pleaded Guilty In Federal Court

The drug dealer who sold actor Michael K. Williams the drugs that caused him to overdose pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a Manhattan federal court.

The New York Times reported that Irvin Cartagena was the leader of a Brooklyn-based drug trafficking organization that moved heroin laced with Fentalynal. The Times reported that Cartagena was arrested in Puerto Rico back in 2022 and charged with narcotics conspiracy causing death.

Cartagena decided to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence between 24-30 years in prison, which is less than the 40 years maximum sentence he would have received if he had decided to go to trial and lost.

“I knew my actions were wrong and against the law. I am very sorry for my actions,” Cartagena said to Judge Ronnie Abrams, cited by The New York Times.

According to The Times, Cartagena was already under investigation when he sold the drugs to Williams. The transaction between Cartagena and Willams was caught on surveillance cameras.

Williams was found dead in his apartment on Sept. 2, 2021. Medical professionals found that Williams died of intoxication from a mixture of drugs.

Williams starred in Boardwalk Empire and When We Rise. But he first rose to fame as Omar Little, a gay stick-up man, in HBO’s The Wire. Williams had been open about his struggle with addiction. During an interview with The Times, Williams, a Brooklyn native, spoke about his addiction to cocaine.

“Addiction doesn’t go away,” he said. “It’s an everyday struggle for me, but I’m fighting,” Williams said.

Three other men, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci, were charged along with Cartagena. Macci pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy and will be sentenced in July. Robles and Cruz pleaded not guilty.

Cartagena will be sentenced in August.