Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fatal Dose of Fentanyl-Laced Heroin to Actor Michael K. Williams

A New York City man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.

Irvin Cartagena, 39, also known as “Green Eyes,” pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue. According to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Cartagena directly sold the fatal dose of fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams one day prior to his death on September 5, 2021.

Williams, who was best known for his roles in the HBO series “The Wire” and the FX series “The Americans,” was found dead the following day. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was an overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin.

Cartagena faces a minimum of five years in prison for his role in Williams’ death. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2022.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said in a statement that Cartagena’s guilty plea “should serve as a warning to those who seek to profit from the distribution of deadly drugs.”

The office also urged anyone who may be struggling with addiction to seek help. “The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities throughout the country, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who seek to profit from the sale of these deadly drugs,” the statement said.