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A 39-year-old man has pleaded guilty in connection to the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams. As The Shade Room previously reported, Williams died in September 2021 from an accidental overdose in connection to fentanyl-laced heroin.
According to TMZ, Irvin Cartagena appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday. He reportedly pleads guilty to “one count of conspiring to distribute drugs” in connection to William’s fatal 2021 overdose.
As per the outlet, Cartagena now faces “a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.” However, according to the outlet, it’s possible the suspect could serve up to 40 years.
According to the outlet, Cartagena initially faced additional charges and could have served life in prison. However, the 39-year-old accepted a plea deal, admitting his guilt to just one charge.
As per AP News, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams has scheduled Cartagena’s sentencing for August 18.
According to TMZ, federal prosecutors slammed Cartagena and other suspects connected to the Williams’ death, explaining that the suspects sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight, in the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Additionally, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also alleged that the dealers continued to brazenly sell drugs “without a second thought,” even after Williams’ passing.
According to The New York Times, three other suspects have also been charged along with Cartagena. Carlos Macci, known as “Carlito,” plead guilty to narcotics conspiracy on Tuesday and will be sentenced in July. While Hector Robles, known as “Oreja,” and Luis Cruz, known as “Mostro,” continue to plead not guilty.
As The Shade Room previously reported, Williams’ nephew, Dominic Dupont, discovered the actor’s lifeless body in his Brooklyn apartment in September 2021. He reportedly shared the experience on ‘Red Table Talk.’
“Mike had some work to do the next day, and I had reached out to him the night before, and I was concerned that I had not heard from him. We made the decision to go to his house.”
However, when Dupont arrived, he explained that Williams’ was already “deceased.”
“I observed him deceased. Immediately I called 911, they said ‘listen do you want to start some compressions?’ I said I’m telling you he’s deceased, he’s gone, he’s cold.”
Dupont went on to explain that although Williams battled drug addiction for years, it did not appear to him that the actor had relapsed.
“It did not appear to me that Mike was sliding back into addiction.”
However, Dupont also explained that Williams was not the kind of person to burden others with his problems. However, he would have never taken the laced drugs had he been aware.
“Michael also worked really hard not to have the things that he was going through weigh on other people. He was an actor, right? You can fool people, you can convince people that you’re okay. I’m positive that he would not have knowingly taken fentanyl.”
Williams was best known for his portrayal of Omar Little on HBO’s ‘The Wire.’ As well as the series ‘Lovecraft Country’ and films ’12 Years a Slave,’ ‘When They See Us,’ and more.
