Current:Home > MyDrug dealer in crew blamed for actor Michael K. Williams’ overdose death gets 5 years in prison-LoTradeCoin
Drug dealer in crew blamed for actor Michael K. Williams’ overdose death gets 5 years in prison
View Date:2024-12-23 19:52:58
NEW YORK (AP) — A member of a New York City drug-dealing crew blamed for the fentanyl-laced heroin death of actor Michael K. Williams was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison.
Luis Cruz was the third of four defendants to be sentenced in connection with the drugs linked to the death of Williams, who overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. He died four hours after authorities said he bought the heroin from another member of the crew.
A federal judge in Manhattan imposed the prison time on Cruz, who pleaded guilty in April to a reduced charge of narcotics conspiracy.
Cruz’s lawyer, Deborah Colson, said in an email that Cruz “accepted responsibility and provided a genuine, heartfelt apology.” She declined further comment.
In a letter to the judge, Cruz, who had been an electrician, said he was addicted to drugs and was selling them to support his habit and pay his bills.
“It was a terrible mistake in judgment,” he wrote.
Federal prosecutors, however, said Cruz and the drug crew kept selling the fentanyl-laced heroin even after Williams’ death. A search of Cruz’s apartment found more than 500 small bags of the deadly heroin and drug paraphernalia, authorities said.
Williams, who was 54, was known for portraying Omar Little, the rogue robber of drug dealers, in HBO’s “The Wire,” which ran from 2002 to 2008. In addition to his work on the critically acclaimed drama, Williams also starred in films and other TV series such as “Boardwalk Empire.”
The drug crew member who sold the drugs to Williams, Irvin Cartagena, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August. Another crew member got more than two years in prison, and the fourth person awaits sentencing.
veryGood! (687)
Related
- Father, 5 children hurt in propane tank explosion while getting toys: 'Devastating accident'
- New search for Madeleine McCann centers on reservoir in Portugal
- She's trying to archive Black Twitter. It's a delicate and imperfect task
- Extremely rare bright rainbow sea slug found in U.K. rock pool
- Threat closes Spokane City Hall and cancels council meeting in Washington state
- 13 Must-Have Pore Minimizing Products For Glowing, Filter-Worthy Skin
- Colombian president retracts claim 4 missing Indigenous children found alive in Amazon after plane crash
- Supreme Court sides with social media companies in suits by families of terror victims
- Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
- Tonga volcano eruption put holes in the atmosphere, sent plasma bubbles to space and disrupted satellites
Ranking
- Florida Man Arrested for Cold Case Double Murder Almost 50 Years Later
- Zelenskyy denies Russian forces have taken Ukrainian city of Bakhmut
- Chris Martin Says He Doesn't Eat Dinner Anymore After Being Influenced By Bruce Springsteen
- 5 questions about the new streaming service Max — after a glitchy launch
- 'Gladiator 2' review: Yes, we are entertained again by outrageous sequel
- Police in Australia accused of using Taser on 95-year-old woman
- Wizards of Waverly Place Showrunner Confirms Theories About Alex Russo’s Sexuality
- People are trying to claim real videos are deepfakes. The courts are not amused
Recommendation
-
Dave Coulier Says He's OK If This Is the End Amid Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Battle
-
CIA seeks to recruit Russian spies with new video campaign
-
Zelenskyy denies Russian forces have taken Ukrainian city of Bakhmut
-
She's trying to archive Black Twitter. It's a delicate and imperfect task
-
Let Demi Moore’s Iconic Fashion Give You More Inspiration
-
'March of the Machine' early review: Mom invades Magic: The Gathering's multiverse
-
The Fate of Grey's Anatomy Revealed
-
At least 20 dead in school dorm fire in Guyana, officials say: This is a major disaster