Five individuals have been charged in relation to the overdose deaths of Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, along with two other 19-year-olds. The suspects—Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas—are accused by New York authorities of operating a fentanyl distribution network. This network allegedly sold counterfeit prescription opioid pills via social media, targeting teenagers and young adults in the city.
Authorities attribute the overdose fatalities to this network, which they claim was responsible for selling thousands of fentanyl-laced pills between January and July 2023. The victims include Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, Akira Stein (daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein), and a third unnamed individual. Each of the five suspects faces charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute.
In a statement, Ricky Patel, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York, underscored the impact of these allegations, describing the potential loss of life and its effect on families and communities. Law enforcement asserts that the drugs sold by the defendants led to at least three deaths over the summer of 2023. Stein was reported dead on May 30 after consuming fentanyl-laced pills she allegedly acquired from two of the suspects. The unnamed victim died on June 13, allegedly after purchasing pills through an intermediary linked to McIver. De Niro-Rodriguez died on July 2 after allegedly obtaining pills from a dealer connected to Epperson, Barreto, and McIver.
Separately, a woman was arrested earlier in 2023 for allegedly providing De Niro-Rodriguez with counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, believed to have caused his fatal overdose. Following the death of his grandson, Robert De Niro expressed deep distress in a public statement. Chris Stein also acknowledged the arrests related to his daughter’s case and expressed gratitude for the ongoing investigation. If convicted, the suspects face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, with the possibility of life in prison.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx24nwz9pd4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss