A drug trafficker hailing from New York City has been handed a 10-year prison sentence on Friday due to his role in providing fentanyl-laced heroin to the acclaimed actor of The Wire, Michael K. Williams, leading to his untimely demise.
Irvin Cartagena, a 40-year-old individual from Aibonito, Puerto Rico, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. Cartagena had previously entered a guilty plea in April for his involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy.
The tragic overdose incident occurred in September 2021, within Williams’ Brooklyn penthouse. Authorities determined that Williams had obtained the lethal heroin from Cartagena during a street transaction in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, an event captured by a surveillance camera. Williams, renowned for his portrayal of the character Omar Little in HBO’s The Wire, which aired from 2002 to 2008, also showcased his acting prowess in movies and other TV series like Boardwalk Empire.
Facing a mandatory minimum prison term of five years, Cartagena potentially could have been sentenced to as much as 40 years of incarceration.
Before the verdict was announced, Cartagena expressed remorse, stating, “I deeply regret my actions. Our intent was never to cause loss of life through our drug trade.”
Abrams acknowledged accounts from those acquainted with Cartagena, describing him as “helpful, humble, and industrious” during periods when he was not under the influence of drugs. The judge hoped rehabilitation could steer Cartagena towards a more constructive and lawful path.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams highlighted that those implicated in selling drugs to Williams were already aware of a prior fatality linked to their illicit merchandise.
Prosecutors revealed that Cartagena and his associates continued to distribute fentanyl-laced heroin across Manhattan and Brooklyn even after Williams’ death. Ultimately, Cartagena evaded authorities by fleeing to Puerto Rico, where he was apprehended in February 2022.
Presenting a pre-sentencing defense, Cartagena’s attorney, Sean Maher, emphasized that his client’s heroin sales were driven by his own substance abuse. Maher underscored, “In a tragic twist of fate, Mr. Cartagena happened to be the one delivering the small parcel of drugs to Mr. Williams, when it easily could have been any other individuals present vending the same narcotics. Sentencing Mr. Cartagena to a lengthy imprisonment period will not resurrect the precious life that was lost.”
Prosecutors urged for a minimum 12-year sentence in their submission, while the court’s Probation Department recommended a 20-year term due to Cartagena’s extensive history of 14 prior convictions for drug-related offenses, encompassing burglary, robbery, and prison escape.
Nonetheless, Judge Abrams deemed these recommendations as “excessive.” She expressed, “While this sentence is stern, it is appropriate without being overly punitive.”
More Project Casting Entertainment News:
Adam Sandler Casts His Own Family for Upcoming Netflix Film
The entire Sandler Family is coming together for an upcoming Netflix movie by Adam Sandler. In his latest project titled “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzv…
How the SAG-AFTRA Strike Will Impact Film Sales During Fall Film Festivals
Amid concurrent strikes led by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, the landscape of Hollywood is undergoing preparations for an atypical fall festival s…
Kerry Washington’s Journey: From Resisting Acting to Embracing Extraordinary Scripts
Kerry Washington, renowned for her captivating performances, reflects upon the junctures in her life when she considered walking away from Hollywood, only to be…
