Arrest Made In Overdose Death Of Michael K. Williams, Sale Caught ON Tape

Police have made four arrests in the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams and reportedly have the drug deal itself on camera.

Source: Rodin Eckenroth / Getty

Last September, the world was left stunned as news broke that actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his NYC apartment. Even more shocking was the revelation he died due to an overdose. The late actor never shied away from talking about his previous battles with addiction and the work he did to overcome them.

“I have strategies that I go to,” Williams told Deadline in 2017. “Number one, I keep a very good, solid team of people around me when I’m doing these dark roles. I call them my lasso. Tie a little lasso around my ankle and they’re keeping me up,” he added. “Now I practice new strategies for how to arrive at characters. I’m keeping good, healthy-minded people around, and just protecting myself. Being responsible.”

This week, the Southern District of New York announced it had four men in custody connected to the death of the beloved actor. One man in particular, Irvin Cartagena, allegedly made a hand-to-hand sale with Williams on September 5, giving him heroin laced with fentanyl that would take his life. To make matters even more interesting, police believe they have the whole thing on camera and even shared pictures of the deal going down.

Police arrested Cartagena in Puerto Rico; The other three men arrested in the bust–Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci–feds allege are part of the same drug trafficking org in Brooklyn. Cartagena is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl and heroin. Relating to Williams’s death, he is charged with narcotics conspiracy.