Five-year sentence for man in drug crew linked to Michael K. Williams’ death

October 12, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

Michael K. Williams, the late actor, known for his iconic role as Omar Little in HBO's "The Wire," died in 2021 due to a fentanyl-laced heroin overdose.
Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP

Share this:

Luis Cruz, a member of a New York City drug-dealing crew implicated in the fentanyl-laced heroin overdose of actor Michael K. Williams, was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday. The sentencing took place in a federal court in Manhattan.

Cruz pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of narcotics conspiracy in April. His lawyer, Deborah Colson, said Cruz “accepted responsibility and provided a genuine, heartfelt apology.”

Williams, renowned for his role as Omar Little on HBO’s “The Wire,” died in September 2021 in his Brooklyn penthouse. He had purchased the heroin from another crew member and succumbed four hours later.

Federal prosecutors said Cruz and the crew continued selling the tainted heroin after Williams’s death. A search of Cruz’s apartment yielded over 500 small bags of the lethal drug and paraphernalia.

The crew member who sold the drugs to Williams, Irvin Cartagena, received a 10-year sentence in August. Another member was sentenced to more than two years, while a fourth awaits sentencing.

This marks the third conviction in a string of prosecutions following the actor’s accidental overdose. Federal authorities maintain that the crew knowingly sold heroin laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

Cruz, previously an electrician, wrote a letter to the judge admitting to poor judgment. He explained that his drug addiction drove him to sell narcotics to support his habit.