Dealer Who Sold Fentanyl-Laced Heroin That Killed Michael K. Williams Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

The man accused of selling the fentanyl-laced heroin that factored in the death of The Wire actor Michael K. Williams has been sentenced.

According to the Department of Justice, Irvin Cartagena was handed his fate on Aug. 18 to serve 10 years in prison. Once he is released, he will have supervised probation for five years. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, said Cartagena, also known as “Green Eyes,” was sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue. He initially pled guilty earlier this year on April 5.

Williams died nearly two years ago, on Sept. 6, 2021, after ingesting the fentanyl-laced heroin. He was found dead in his apartment by his nephew.

In a written statement, United States Attorney Williams said: “On September 5, 2021, Irvin Cartagena sold Michael K. Williams a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs Cartagena sold him. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin. This Office will tenaciously continue our enforcement efforts against unscrupulous drug dealers who distribute poison and exacerbate the scourge of the fentanyl epidemic.”

Williams was a well-received actor who was revered for the various roles he played during his career.

The venerable actor had a breadth of work that has received critical acclaim. Before the beloved actor passed away, he received a 2021 Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in HBO’s Lovecraft Country and a 2019 Emmy nod for When They See Us, where he played the father of Antron McCray, one of the Exonerated Five, who was coerced into signing a false confession. He is probably most famously known for playing the notorious Omar Little, the rogue stickup robber of drug dealers in the hit HBO series “The Wire.”