‘The Wire’ Inspiration for the Show Dead at 73

Melvin Williams, notorious as the man behind an illegal drugs empire in 1970s Baltimore who later reformed and ultimately appeared on HBO’s The Wire died this morning at 73 from undisclosed causes.

“To Baltimoreans he was a heroin kingpin who consolidated and revolutionized the drug trade following the 1968 riots”, JET reported. He was profiled for the Baltimore Sun in 1987 by David Simon, who went on to create “The Wire”.

Also known as ‘Little Melvin, ‘ he died on Thursday at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, the funeral home confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

But his actions as a drug kingpin eventually led to his arrest in 1984 and he was sentenced to serve 34 years in the federal penitentiary for his crimes. The Baltimore-set series examined America’s “war on drugs” and earned rave reviews for its gritty realism. “You ended it free, brother”.

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Williams had a recurring role in later seasons of the show in the role of Deacon, a street-wise and compassionate clergyman who sought to help drug dealers and youth caught up in the violence of West Baltimore. In later years he swore off crime and worked with local pastors.