Arrests Made in the Overdose Death of 'The Wire' Actor Michael K. Williams

Photograph by Eli Joshua Ade/ Courtesy HBO

Federal prosecutors have charged four men in connection with the death of actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his iconic portrayal of stickup artist Omar Little on the hit crime drama “The Wire."

As we reported last year, the talented thespian was found dead at the age of 54 in his Brooklyn penthouse Sept. 6.

Drug paraphernalia was found at the scene suggesting he may have fatally OD’d possibly from heroin or fentanyl, a theory that was later confirmed by New York City's medical examiner who determined he died of acute drug intoxication.

Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and Keechant Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, said New York police officers arrested the men who are alleged to be part of a Brooklyn drug trafficking crew for selling Williams the lethal dose.

Photo Courtesy Department of Justice

Michael K. Williams purchasing drugs from

Irvin Cartagena.

According to authorities, a surveillance video captured the hand-to-hand transaction in which Williams bought the lethal dose one day before his death. 

The dealer was identified as Irvin Cartagena. The 39-year-old suspect had sold drugs to undercover informants for months prior to Williams' death according to a federal complaint. Cartagena was arrested in Puerto Rico and charged with a narcotics conspiracy, a federal crime.

Cartagena is expected to be presented in federal court there Thursday. Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci are the other defendants.

According to the criminal complaint, all of them "continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight" outside apartment buildings in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, "despite knowing Williams died after being sold the product." They will appear in Manhattan federal court Wednesday.

“Michael K. Williams, a prominent actor and producer, tragically overdosed in his New York City apartment from fentanyl-laced heroin. Today, along with our law enforcement partners at the NYPD, we announce the arrests of members of a drug crew, including Irvin Cartagena, the man who we allege sold the deadly dose of drugs to Michael K. Williams," Williams said of the arrests. "This is a public health crisis. And it has to stop. Deadly opioids like fentanyl and heroin don’t care about who you are or what you’ve accomplished. They just feed addiction and lead to tragedy."

Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the arrests of four defendants in connection with the overdose death of Michael K. Williams pic.twitter.com/EtrtYTr7xF

— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) February 2, 2022

Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, Lionel Ritchie Amongst 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

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Hip-hop pioneers and an R&B legend are among the nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2022
class.

The class, announced Wednesday, features 17 contenders and is led by former rap oddity turned mainstream monster Eminem — the only artist to make the ballot in his first year of eligibility in this class.

Over his 30-plus year career the Detroit native, born Marshall Mathers, has sold over 220 million records, collected 15 Grammys and notched 2002’s Academy Award for Best Original Song for his song "Lose Yourself," off the “8 Mile” soundtrack — a semiautobiographical movie he also starred in.

Joining Eminem in the running for a spot in the hall are fellow hip-hop heavyweights A Tribe Called Quest and soulful singer-songwriter Lionel Ritchie — whose former band the Commodores has yet to be nominated.

“This year’s ballot recognizes a diverse group of incredible artists, each who has had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture,” Rock Hall chairman John Sykes said in a statement. “Their music not only moved generations, but also influenced the sound of countless artists that followed.”

The class also includes standouts from several other genres of music. Country music powerhouse Dolly Parton, new wave legends Duran Duran, 1970s singer-songwriter Carly Simon and ‘90s indie-rock darling Beck round out the first-timers vying for their place in the hall.

Pat Benatar, Devo, the New York Dolls, singer-songwriter Kate Bush, Judas Priest and the Eurythmics, who have all been nominated twice previously, are also back in the running.

More than 1,000 artists, music historians and music industry professionals vote on the nominees, the foundation said, taking into account an artist or group's influence on other musicians, their body of work and "length and depth of career."

This year's inductees will be announced in May with an induction ceremony to follow in the fall. Starting today, fans can vote at 

rockhall.com or at an interactive kiosk at the Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland.

Full list of 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees:

Beck*

Pat Benatar

Kate Bush

DEVO

Duran Duran*

Eminem*

Eurythmics

Judas Priest

Fela Kuti

MC5

New York Dolls

Dolly Parton*

Rage Against the Machine

Lionel Richie*

Carly Simon*

A Tribe Called Quest*

Dionne Warwick  

*first-time nominees

Brian Flores Opens up About 'Sham' NFL Interview

Courtesy Photo

Black History Month started out with a bang for sports fans Tuesday when former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the NFL, the New York Giants, the Dolphins and Denver Broncos for racial discrimination.

Now he is opening up about his dispute with the league and some of the incendiary charges leveled in his bombshell lawsuit.

Asked how it made him feel knowing that he was walking into an interview where a decision might have already been made during an appearance on “CBS Mornings” Wednesday, Flores said, “It was a range of emotions. Humiliation. Disbelief. Anger. I worked so hard to get where I am in football to become a head coach. To go in on what was a sham interview, I was hurt.”

Former #Dolphins HC Brian Flores on @CBSMornings describing his interactions and feelings before his interview with the #Giants for the head coach job. pic.twitter.com/1RnVxn0VUK

— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 2, 2022

Flores walked into the interview with an idea that it was just a cursory attempt to respect the NFL's Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operation positions, thanks to a damning text exchange with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick that was the catalyst for the lawsuit that states that the league "remains rife with racism" and that "in certain critical ways, the NFL is racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation."

Belichick accidentally texted him to congratulate him on the NY Giants job thinking he was Brian Daboll. The lawsuit presents text messages of Belichick sending congratulations to Flores for landing the Giants job on Jan. 24. That text was sent two days prior to Flores interviewing for the job.

After Flores initially appeared confused by the text message, he asked Belichick, “Coach, are you talking to Brian Flores or Brian Daboll. Just making sure.”

Belichick replied: “Sorry – I f—ed this up. I double checked & I misread the text. I think they are naming Daboll. I’m sorry about that. BB”

According to the lawsuit, Flores was then "forced to sit through a dinner with Joe Schoen, the Giant’s [sic] new General Manager, knowing that the Giants had already selected Mr. Daboll. Much worse, on Thursday, January 27, 2022, Mr. Flores had to give an extensive interview for a job that he already knew he would not get — an interview that was held for no reason other than for the Giants to demonstrate falsely to the League Commissioner Roger Goodell and the public at large that it was in compliance with the Rooney Rule.”

Daboll was hired as the Giants head coach on Jan. 28.

The Giants responded on Tuesday after being named in the lawsuit.

“We are pleased and confident with the process that resulted in the hiring of Brian Daboll,” the team said in a statement. “We interviewed an impressive and diverse group of candidates. The fact of the matter is, Brain Flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the eleventh hour. Ultimately, we hired the individual we felt was most qualified to be our next head coach."

Read the entire lawsuit here.