A man connected to the death of Michael K. Williams has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
In addition to the prison sentence, 72-year-old Carlos Macci was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first year in an inpatient drug treatment facility, according to NBC News.
The sentence comes nearly two years after Williams, who was 54 years old at the time of his death, was discovered dead from an accidental fentanyl overdose in his Brooklyn apartment on Sept. 6, 2021.
Macci was one of four men who were part of an alleged drug-trafficking organization known as the DTO that was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.
Like Macci, the group – which reportedly includes Irvin Cartagena, Hector Robles, and Luis Cruz – have all taken guilty pleas, per the New York Post. The outlet reports that Cartagena is the next to be sentenced on Aug. 18, while Robles and Cruz are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26.
While prosecutors sought for Macci to receive at least a 4-year sentence, per The New York Times, The Wire creator David Simon had pleaded for Macci to receive a lighter sentence during his trial.Citing Macci’s own trouble with addiction, he wrote in a 3-page letter, according to NBC News, “No possible good can come from incarcerating a (72-year-old) soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction and who has not engaged in street-level sales of narcotics with ambitions of success and profit but rather as someone caught up in the diaspora of addiction himself.”
The outlet reports that Macci’s lawyer, Benjamin Zeman, echoed the same sentiments by requesting a sentence of time served, “citing his advanced age and his hardscrabble background.”
While U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams acknowledged Macci’s history, she told Macci in court that selling drugs “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing you your freedom.”
“I would like to say, your honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” Macci said, according to the Associated Press.
Deadline reports Dominic Dupont, Williams’ nephew, said during Macci’s sentencing how “It weighs heavy on me to see someone be in a situation he’s in. I understand what it is to be system impacted.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
In other news – LeBron James’ son suffers cardiac arrest during basketball practice
LeBron James’ 18-year-old son, LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., had a medical emergency during basketball practice on Monday, July 24.
In a statement to ET, a spokesperson for the James family shared that the rising basketball star — who is set to make his debut with the University of Southern California Trojans basketball team this fall — suffered cardiac arrest and was rushed to the hospital. Read More
