Dealer sentenced to 10 years for selling fatal heroin dose to actor Michael K. Williams.
A Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Fentanyl-Laced Heroin Linked to Actor’s Death
A man has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the sale of fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the tragic death of “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams.
Conspiracy to Distribute Dangerous Drugs
Irvin “Green Eyes” Cartagena, originally from Puerto Rico, has been convicted of conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue, according to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He has been sentenced to ten years in prison, with five years of supervised release.
The court found that Cartagena, 40, distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that led to Williams’ overdose death. Surveillance footage showed him providing drugs to the actor the day before Williams was discovered dead. Cartagena was one of four individuals charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs.
Fighting the Fentanyl Epidemic
“Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs sold to him by Cartagena. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
“This office will tenaciously continue our enforcement efforts against unscrupulous drug dealers who distribute poison and exacerbate the scourge of the fentanyl epidemic,” the statement continued.
Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico after Williams’ death but was apprehended and arrested in February 2022.
The Deadly Impact of Fentanyl-Laced Drugs
Fentanyl-laced drugs are leading to more overdose deaths.
New York City’s Department of Health noted that “fentanyl — an opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine — was detected in 80% of drug overdose deaths in New York City in 2021 and was the most common substance involved in overdose deaths for the fifth year in a row.”
“This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop,” emphasized U.S. Attorney Williams in February 2022. “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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