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Baltimore Sun

Former Drug Kingpin Who Appeared on ‘The Wire’ Dies

Dec 4, 2015  •  Post A Comment

An ex-drug kingpin who later joined the HBO drama series “The Wire” has died. The Baltimore Sun reports that Melvin Williams died Thursday at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Williams, 73, reportedly had cancer.

Williams, who was known as “Little Melvin” in his drug kingpin days in West Baltimore, spent years in prison on drug and gun charges and later spoke out against drugs and gang life, the story reports.

David Simon, the co-creator of “The Wire,” reported on Williams when Simon was with The Baltimore Sun, and later brought him aboard for the HBO drama series, which was set in Baltimore and ran from 2002-2008. Williams played the role of the Deacon in seasons three and four.

Simon said Thursday: “Melvin did a lot of damage — and he’d be the first to admit it. He was a fascinating man in terms of Baltimore and what the drug war was going to do to this country.”

The report adds: “Federal prosecutors said Mr. Williams presided over a drug trade that grossed $1 million a day.”

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