Current:Home > StocksDrug dealer in crew blamed for actor Michael K. Williams’ overdose death gets 5 years in prison-InfoLens
Drug dealer in crew blamed for actor Michael K. Williams’ overdose death gets 5 years in prison
View Date:2024-12-23 15:24:26
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! (91)
Related
- Rachael Ray Details Getting Bashed Over Decision to Not Have Kids
- Wisconsin Democrats introduce legislation package to address deteriorating conditions in prisons
- 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction: How to watch the 2023 ceremony on Disney+
- Why Olivia Rodrigo and Actor Louis Partridge Are Sparking Romance Rumors
- Minnesota man is free after 16 years in prison for murder that prosecutors say he didn’t commit
- Trump sons downplay involvement with documents at center of New York fraud trial
- Go Inside Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet’s Star-Studded Date Night in NYC
- Pioneering scientist says global warming is accelerating. Some experts call his claims overheated
- Diamond Sports Group will offer single-game pricing to stream NBA and NHL games starting next month
- 'Nightmare': How Category 5 Hurricane Otis shocked forecasters and slammed a major city
Ranking
- Olivia Culpo Celebrates Christian McCaffrey's NFL Comeback Alongside Mother-in-Law
- The Beatles release their last new song Now and Then — thanks to AI and archival recordings
- Friends Director Says Cast Was Destroyed After Matthew Perry's Death
- Nearly 100,000 Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer's recalled over faulty seat belts
- Pedro Pascal's Sister Lux Pascal Debuts Daring Slit on Red Carpet at Gladiator II Premiere
- China and Southeast Asia nations vow to conclude a nonaggression pact faster as sea crises escalate
- Washington State 4-year-old boy attacked, killed by family dog on Halloween, police say
- Colombia will try to control invasive hippo population through sterilization, transfer, euthanasia
Recommendation
-
Beyoncé course coming to Yale University to examine her legacy
-
Format of public comment meetings for Dakota Access oil pipeline upsets opponents
-
Indiana attorney general reprimanded for comments on doctor who provided rape victim’s abortion
-
Virginia woman wins $50k, then over $900k the following week from the same online lottery game
-
2 weeks after Peanut the Squirrel's euthanasia, owner is seeking answers, justice
-
Panama’s congress backtracks to preserve controversial Canadian mining contract
-
As his minutes pile up, LeBron James continues to fuel Lakers. Will it come at a cost?
-
How Charlie Sheen and Two and a Half Men Co-Creator Chuck Lorre Ended Their Yearslong Feud