Brooklyn Man Sentenced 19 Years for Fentanyl Killing NYC Trans Activist

Michael Kuilan, a Brooklyn man with prior felony convictions, was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for supplying fentanyl-laced heroin that caused the fatal overdose of transgender LGBTQ activist Cecilia Gentili. Gentili, a prominent advocate for transgender rights, undocumented immigrants, sex workers, and people with HIV, died from a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, xylazine, and cocaine in February 2024. Kuilan supplied the lethal drugs to co-defendant Antonio Venti, who sold them to Gentili and was sentenced to five years in prison. Authorities discovered hundreds of fentanyl baggies, a handgun, and ammunition in Kuilan's apartment, leading to his concurrent 15-year sentence for unlawful firearm possession. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella emphasized the office's commitment to prosecuting fentanyl dealers and holding those responsible for overdose deaths accountable. Gentili's death highlights the ongoing opioid crisis, which claimed over 81,000 lives in 2023 alone.