Authorities arrested five people for their alleged roles in the overdose death of Robert De Niro’s teenage grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez. The arrests come more than two years after his sudden death shocked Hollywood and renewed calls to tackle fentanyl-laced pills spreading across the U.S.
De Niro-Rodriguez died in July 2023 at his Manhattan apartment. The New York City medical examiner ruled his cause of death as “toxic effects of fentanyl, alprazolam, ketamine, bromazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, and cocaine.” He was just 19 years old.
The New York Times reports that they were also charged with the deaths of two other young people. Akira Stein, 29, was the daughter of Blondie guitarist Chris Stein, and also died in July 2023.
According to CBS News, federal prosecutors charged five people: Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, in a sweeping indictment announced this week. The suspects are accused of running a drug ring that sold counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl to teens and young adults through social media and encrypted apps.
“Defendants who distributed the drugs, who killed these young 19-year-olds knew that they were deadly,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said, via CBS News.
De Niro-Rodriguez was the son of De Niro’s daughter, Drena De Niro. At the time of his death, she shared an emotional message on Instagram, via NBC News, that has since been removed. “Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him… My son is gone forever.”
De Niro’s grandson bought the drugs from Sophia Haley Marks, the “Percocet Princess,” who was charged separately from the five people arrested for selling it to him.
According to the Daily Mail, who obtained a copy of the indictment, it stated, “She knew the pills she was providing to victim 3 were strong and warned (him) to be careful when taking the pills.”
The dealer reportedly texted De Niro-Rodriguez on June 30, 2023, “I don’t want to kill you.” He asked her to elaborated, and she responded, “Do u rly need them… Ion wanna kill you.” (sic)
The dealer then told him that she didn’t like serving them because they were not “script.”
De Niro-Rodriguez went ahead and bough three fentanyl pills and two Xanax for $105, even though he had been warned by the dealer.
Reportedly, he received the pills at about 9.15pm on 1 July. Mere hours later, in the early hours of July 2, the dealer texted him asking, “u good?” De Niro-Rodriguez never replied. His dead body was discovered that same day.
Federal officials hope this case sends a message. “Today, justice has been delivered. While the arrest of these five individuals will not bring back the lives lost, we hope it brings some measure of closure to the families who continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones,” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino in the official DEA statement
The five defendants each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say more arrests could follow as the DEA tracks the wider network.
For the De Niro family, the legal progress offers little comfort but some closure. De Niro-Rodriguez’s mother has since spoken at addiction-awareness events and is urging parents to talk openly with their kids about pills bought online.
