Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Selling Heroin and Fentanyl That Killed New York Activist

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan sentenced Michael Kuilan to 19 years’ imprisonment for selling fentanyl and heroin that caused the fatal overdose of LGBTQ activist Cecilia Gentili.  As part of the sentence, Kuilan was ordered to pay $24,482 in restitution and forfeit $30,000 and a seized firearm.  The defendant was also sentenced to serve 15 years concurrently for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.  Kuilan has three prior state felony convictions for drug offenses relating to the sale of heroin. He pleaded guilty to the federal charges on September 23, 2024.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the plea.

“Cecilia Gentili was tragically poisoned from fentanyl-laced heroin.  Today, the perpetrators who sold the deadly drugs to Gentili are being held accountable,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “This Office will be relentless in prosecuting fentanyl dealers.”

"Michael Kuilan sold the lethal drugs that took the life of LGBTQIA+ activist and leader Cecilia Gentili, and now, he is being held accountable for this horrible crime," said NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “While we can sadly never bring Cecilia back, today, some semblance of justice is finally being served.  I thank the NYPD investigators, the DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in delivering justice in this case.”

According to court documents and facts presented in court, on February 6, 2024, Gentili was found dead in her bedroom in Brooklyn.  Gentili died due to the combined effect of controlled substances, including fentanyl, xylazine, cocaine, and heroin.  Text messages and other evidence revealed that co-defendant Antonio Venti sold the fentanyl and heroin mixture to Gentili on February 5, 2024, and that Kuilan supplied Venti with those lethal narcotics.  When law enforcement searched an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn belonging to Kuilan, they found hundreds of baggies of fentanyl, a handgun, and ammunition.

On February 12, 2025, Judge Cogan sentenced Venti to five years’ imprisonment for the same drug offense.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti.

The Defendant:

MICHAEL KUILAN
Age:  45
Brooklyn, New York

Previously Sentenced Defendant:

ANTONIO VENTI
Age:  53
West Babylon, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-130 (BMC)