5 More People Arrested in Connection to Overdose Death of Robert De Niro’s Grandson

Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, 19, was found dead inside a friend’s Manhattan apartment in July 2023.

Robert De Niro speaks on stage during The Canva Director's Brunch at City Winery in New York on June 12, 2023. Mike Coppola/Getty Images for 2023 Tribeca Festival

Five additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of actor Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced.

According to an Oct. 30 press release, the defendants—Bruce Epperson, Grant McIver, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas—have been charged with “participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs,” resulting in the deaths of De Niro-Rodriguez, Akira Stein—the daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein—and a third unnamed victim, all aged 19.

“On or about May 30, 2023, Stein—who is identified in the Indictment as Victim-1—died in her family’s apartment in downtown Manhattan after ingesting fentanyl-laced pills that she had purchased from John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas one day earlier,” the report states. “Over the six months leading up to her fatal overdose, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas repeatedly sold numerous fentanyl-laced pills to Stein. Stein suffered multiple non-fatal overdoses as a result of ingesting those pills.”

De Niro-Rodriguez was found dead inside a friend’s Manhattan apartment on July 2, 2023, after ingesting a similar pill that he allegedly purchased from a woman named Sophia Marks, then 20.

Marks, who allegedly obtained the drugs from McIver, Epperson, and Barreto, was arrested later that month and charged with one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam, also known as Xanax, per a Justice Department press release published July 14, 2023.

De Niro-Rodriguez is the son of Robert De Niro’s eldest daughter, 54-year-old Drena De Niro. The actress, who appeared alongside Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the 2018 film “A Star Is Born,” penned a moving tribute to her son after his death, calling him her “beautiful sweet angel.”

“I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly,” she wrote in part. “You have been my joy, my heart, and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now.”

The five newly arrested men have been accused of working with a criminal network that distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl and other drugs across New York City.

Prosecutors allege that the suspects used social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, and encrypted messaging apps to maximize the reach of their drug businesses, specifically targeting teenagers and young adults in the process.

In a statement, DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said 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,” he said.

“These arrests serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that social media can pose, and of the predators who hide behind social media applications, looking to exploit our youth and sell their fentanyl pills through digital connections.

“Whether you deal on computer screens or on our streets, the DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to targeting those responsible. This is a fight to save lives.”