Five people have been charged in connection with the 2023 overdose deaths of Robert De Niro’s grandson and two other 19-year-olds. New York authorities have accused Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas of operating a fentanyl distribution network that sold counterfeit prescription opioid pills through social media to young people in the city.
This network is believed to be linked to the overdose fatalities of Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, Akira Stein (daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein), and a third unidentified victim. The five individuals are facing charges for conspiracy to distribute and possess drugs with intent to distribute.
Homeland Security Investigations New York special agent in charge Ricky Patel stated, “Through their alleged actions, these defendants left behind a trail of irreversible loss that cut short the lives of three teenagers who held boundless potential and who had already made profound, immeasurable impacts on those who knew them.” Prosecutors allege that from January to July 2023, the group sold thousands of fentanyl-laced pills across New York via social media and encrypted messaging apps, resulting in at least three deaths over that summer.
Specifically, Stein reportedly died on May 30 after consuming pills allegedly purchased from John and Roy Nicolas. The third victim, who passed away on June 13, is said to have acquired pills through an intermediary from Mr. McIver. Authorities claim De Niro-Rodriguez, who died on July 2, obtained his fatal drugs from a dealer connected to Mr. McIver, Mr. Epperson, and Mr. Barreto.
Separately, a woman was arrested in 2023 for allegedly selling De Niro-Rodriguez counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as Xanax tablets, which are believed to have caused his death.
Following his grandson’s death, Academy Award winner Robert De Niro expressed his deep distress over the loss of his “beloved grandson,” who was the only child of his daughter Drena. Chris Stein also commented on the arrests, thanking officials for the “hope of some justice for her” in his daughter’s case.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
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