Irvin Cartagena, also known as Green Eyes, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for running a drug trafficking operation in Williamsburg. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogue. In addition to his prison term, Cartagena, 40, of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
As part of the conspiracy, Cartagena distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of actor Michael K. Williams. Michael K. Williams is best known for his work on “The Wire” portraying Omar Little. Williams was born in Brooklyn.
“On September 5, 2021, Irvin Cartagena sold Michael K. Williams a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. "Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs sold to him by Cartagena. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin. This Office will tenaciously continue our enforcement efforts against unscrupulous drug dealers who distribute poison and exacerbate the scourge of the fentanyl epidemic.”
According to the evidence, between approximately August 2020 and February 2022, a drug trafficking organization was operating in the vicinity of 224 South 3rd Street in Williamsburg. On approximately September 5, 2021, in connection with the DTO’s drug sales, Cartagena sold Michael K. Williams heroin, which was laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Williams died as a result of using that fentanyl-laced heroin. Despite learning of the death, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin.
Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico after Williams’ death, where he was ultimately arrested in February 2022.
