On Tuesday, a drug dealer linked to the crew responsible for the fentanyl-laced heroin death of Michael K. Williams has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Luis Cruz is the third of four defendants sentenced to Williams’ fatal overdose in September 2021, four hours after he bought heroin from another crew member.
A Manhattan federal judge sentenced Cruz after he pleaded guilty to a reduced narcotics conspiracy charge in April.
Cruz’s lawyer, Deborah Colson, said he “accepted responsibility and provided a genuine, heartfelt apology.”
Cruz, a former electrician, wrote a letter to the judge explaining that he was battling drug addiction and resorted to selling drugs to sustain his habit and cover his expenses.
“It was a terrible mistake in judgment,” he wrote.
Despite Williams’ death, federal prosecutors argued that Cruz and the drug crew continued distributing fentanyl-laced heroin.
According to ABCNews, a search of Cruz’s apartment uncovered over 500 small bags of heroin and other drug paraphernalia.
Earlier this year, Irvin Cartagena, the crew member who sold the drugs to Williams, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Another crew member got over two years in jail, and the fourth person is still awaiting sentencing.
