Michael K. Williams' Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty in Overdose Death Case

A Brooklyn drug dealer has officially pled guilty in selling a fatal dose of drugs to actor Michael K. Williams, which led to his death in September of 2021. On Wednesday, reports revealed that Irvin Cartagena has pled guilty to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs, after selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams. Cartagena will be sentenced on August 18th by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. He will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with the possibility of as many as 40 years in jail.

According to authorities, Williams passed away from a drug overdose in September 2021, hours after buying heroin from Cartagena. The transaction occurred on a Brooklyn sidewalk and was recorded by security cameras, which ultimately led to the arrest of Cartagena and his alleged co-conspirators, who reportedly continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin even after Williams' death.

What movies and TV shows did Michael K. Williams appear in?

Born in Brooklyn, New York City on November 22nd, 1966, Williams got into the entertainment industry as a backup dancer and choreographer, appearing as a dancer in videos and on tours for George Michael, Madonna, and others. Williams got into acting after being discovered by Tupac Shakur, which led to him portraying the brother of Shakur's character in the 1996 film Bullet. He then would go on to appear in episodes of The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and Alias.

Among Williams' most well-known roles is Omar Little on The Wire, appearing in nearly fifty episodes of the iconic HBO series from 2002 through 2008. Williams' portrayal of Omar was met with widespread critical and fan acclaim, with former president Barack Obama citing him as his favorite television character back in 2008.

Williams would go on to have a brief cameo as a bystander in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, and appear across television in series such as Law & Order, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Community. His later film appearances included Bessie, 12 Years a Slave, RoboCop, Inherent Vice, Ghostbusters, and Assassin's Creed. He also had multiple memorable television roles in the past decade, including Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire, Bobby McCray in When They See Us, and Montrose Freeman in Lovecraft Country.

Over his career, Williams was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards — Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Bessie, The Night Of, and When They See Us, Outstanding Informational Series or Special for his work with Vice, and a posthumous nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Lovecraft Country.