2 Plead Guilty in Drug-Related Death of Prominent Transgender Activist

Michael Kuilan and Antonio Venti admitted providing fentanyl-laced heroin to Cecilia Gentili, whose death prompted an outpouring of grief among L.G.B.T.Q. New Yorkers.

Two men accused of providing the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed the transgender activist and actress Cecilia Gentili have admitted distributing the drugs that caused her death, officials said on Monday.

One of the men, Michael Kuilan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn Monday morning to possessing and distributing heroin and fentanyl, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York. The second man, Antonio Venti, pleaded guilty to the same offense in July, the release said.

Ms. Gentili, 52, was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment in February after taking a combination of drugs, court documents show. Her death prompted an outpouring of grief among members of New York’s L.G.B.T.Q. community, with more than 1,000 people packing the pews at a spirited celebration of her life at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

In addition to her work as an actress, which included a role on the television show “Pose,” Ms. Gentili was known for her advocacy on behalf of sex workers, transgender people and people with H.I.V.

Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for New York’s Eastern District, called Ms. Gentili’s death “heartbreaking.” He said he hoped the guilty pleas would “bring a sense of closure” for her family and be “a warning that this office will be relentless in holding fentanyl dealers accountable.”

Peter Scotto, Ms. Gentili’s partner, declined to comment on the guilty pleas.

Ms. Gentili came to the United States from Argentina as an undocumented immigrant at 26. She endured homelessness, addiction and trafficking for prostitution and was arrested several times before being jailed at Rikers Island.

After being released, she said she had spent 17 months in a substance abuse rehabilitation facility and had remained sober for many years. She was lobbying to decriminalize sex work in New York at the time of her death.

Many of the mourners who attended the service at St. Patrick’s wore audacious outfits while paying their respects at an altar that featured a picture of a haloed Ms. Gentili surrounded by the Spanish words for “mother,” “whore,” “transvestite” and “blessed.”

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York later denounced the funeral, saying it had not been aware of Ms. Gentili’s identity or that she was an atheist when it agreed to host the ceremony.

According to prosecutors, Mr. Venti, 52, sold Ms. Gentili the drugs that killed her the day before her body was found. Mr. Kuilan, 44, had supplied Mr. Gentili with the drugs, prosecutors said.

Mr. Kuilan also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon, the U.S. attorney’s office release said. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January and faces a possible prison sentence of up to just over 27 years, prosecutors said. Mr. Venti is scheduled to be sentenced in October, prosecutors said. He faces up to just over 17 years in prison.

Howard Greenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Kuilan, said his client did not know that the heroin he sold contained fentanyl.

“But that does not legally or morally absolve him of what he in fact did,” Mr. Greenberg said.

Joseph Turco, a lawyer for Mr. Venti, said his client had been “crippled” by remorse after Ms. Gentili’s death, adding that the two were friends for over 10 years and had “fought their demons” together.

“I don’t think Cecilia would want him incarcerated,” Mr. Turco said. “He is no killer and he is no drug dealer. But I can’t pretend to know what Cecilia would want.”

There were 3,026 drug overdose deaths in New York City in 2022, a 12 percent increase from the year before and the highest number since reporting began in 2000, according to Health Department data. Preliminary data from 2023 shows that there were about 2,281 overdose deaths through the third quarter.

Liam Stack contributed reporting.