(NEW YORK) — Authorities arrested four men Wednesday in connection with the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Police arrested Irving Cartagena in Puerto Rico following a four-month investigation into “The Wire” actor’s death. Cartagena was caught on surveillance footage allegedly selling heroin to Williams outside a Manhattan building on Sept. 5.
Williams, 54, who had battled drug addiction in the past, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment the next day. An autopsy later found he had had fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine in his system.
Officers kept track of Cartagena and allegedly recorded him selling more tainted heroin samples to undercover officers and informants weeks later, according to court documents.
New York police also arrested Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci, who they claim were part of Cartagena’s operation and sold heroin outside of the same Manhattan building.
Federal prosecutors charged the four men with narcotics conspiracy.
Cartagena was scheduled to appear in court in Puerto Rico on Thursday. Robles, Cruz and Macci were scheduled to appear in a Manhattan court Wednesday, investigators said.
Williams starred as fan-favorite Omar, a gay gangster, in HBO’s “The Wire” from 2002 to 2008. He also starred as Chalky White in the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire” from 2010 to 2014. He was nominated for five Emmy Awards, most recently as best supporting actor in a drama series in 2020 for “Lovecraft Country”.
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