Five people have been charged federally in connection with In 2023, the grandson of actor Robert De Niro died of an overdose. and two others, authorities said Thursday.
Five men, all in their 20s, are charged in the 2023 overdose deaths of three 19-year-olds, including Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, Akira Stein, the daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein, and an unnamed victim, according to a DEA press release.
The five suspects were identified as Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver and brothers John Nicholas and Roy Nicholas.
They are all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl and alprazolam, resulting in the deaths of De Niro-Rodriguez, Stine and a third victim. If convicted of the charges, they face a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Epperson was arrested Tuesday in Troy, New York, the Drug Enforcement Administration said, and McIver was arrested Tuesday in Houston, Texas. John Nicholas was arrested Saturday in Buffalo, New York, and Roy Nicholas was arrested Saturday in Valley Stream, New York. Barreto surrendered to authorities Wednesday in Manhattan. All five appeared in court for the first time.
De Niro-Rodriguez's mother Dren De Niro previously said he died after selling pills laced with fentanyl. The medical examiner ruled his death accidental, caused by a mixture of fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs.
“The defendants who distributed the drugs and killed these young 19-year-olds knew they were deadly,” Clayton said.
Prosecutors say the five arrested used social media and encrypted messaging apps to sell thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl to teens and young adults.
“Drug trafficking organizations have weaponized social media, allowing them to expand their network, make more profits and, unfortunately, attract more people to their poison,” Frank Tarentino, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's New York office, said at a news conference Thursday.
One of the victims allegedly warned one of the five suspects arrested that the drugs they sold her caused her to overdose and told him, “Just be warned, the buyers in the shipment could be very strong,” according to federal court documents. She later died from another overdose, prosecutors said.
The second victim died of an overdose two weeks later, and De Niro-Rodriguez died of an overdose less than a month later.
De Niro-Rodriguez and his mother appeared in the 2018 films A Star Is Born and Cabaret Maxime. He was also credited with appearing in 2005's The Collection.
19 more people accused of running a drug ring in Washington Square Park
In addition, 19 more people have been charged federally with drug distribution rackets in New York's Washington Square Park since 2020. The 19 defendants go by nicknames such as “Scarface,” “Butter,” “Hollywood” and “Heavy,” prosecutors said, and are charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs resulting in death.
The indictment alleges they “maintained a year-round market for opioids and crack cocaine” in the park, adding that the various defendants were arrested more than 80 times for drug-related offenses and when they were released, they returned to the park and continued to sell drugs.
“Defendants know that their drugs cause overdoses,” prosecutors wrote.
The photographs in the indictment reportedly show the scene after two people fatally overdosed on drugs containing fentanyl allegedly sold to them from dealers in the Washington Square Park area.
The victims included an 18-year-old boy who arrived in town two days after graduating from high school and a 43-year-old homeless man who was found dead on the sidewalk.
Law enforcement officials say the investigation into the park took 16 months. They did not confirm whether more arrests might be made. They only said that the investigation is ongoing.
