Deadly Fentanyl Ring Behind De Niro Grandson’s Death Leads to Five Arrests

Federal authorities have arrested five men accused of running a fentanyl distribution network connected to the 2023 overdose death of Robert De Niro’s grandson and two other teenagers, marking a significant development in the investigation of these tragic deaths.

Drug Distribution Network Targeted Teens via Social Media

Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas are charged in an indictment that alleges they distributed thousands of counterfeit opioid pills (often referred to as M30s) via social media and encrypted messaging apps to teenagers and young adults.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed these arrests to Fox News Digital. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Three Teenage Victims in Summer 2023

According to the indictment, between January and July 2023 (with three deaths occurring in late spring/early summer 2023), the pills distributed by the defendants caused at least three deaths. All three victims were 19 years old.

Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez was found dead on July 2, 2023, in a Manhattan apartment. Court filings allege that on July 1, 2023, he was sold three suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills (blue ‘M30’ pills that commonly contain fentanyl) and two alprazolam (Xanax) tablets. The New York City medical examiner determined his death was caused by the “toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine.”

McIver, Barreto and Epperson allegedly supplied the drugs that led to De Niro Rodriguez’s overdose.

The second victim identified in the indictment was Akira Stein, daughter of Chris Stein, co-founder of the rock band Blondie. Stein died on May 30, 2023, in her family’s downtown Manhattan apartment after ingesting fentanyl-laced pills purchased from John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas one day earlier.

Prosecutors revealed that Stein had overdosed multiple times, including the fatal incident on May 30. In a disturbing detail from court documents, Stein had previously informed Nicolas that she overdosed on pills he sold her, texting: “I barely did anything and I know my tolerance. Just warn customers in batch might be extra strong.”

The third victim, not publicly identified, died on June 13, 2023.

Previous Arrest in De Niro Case

This isn’t the first arrest connected to De Niro Rodriguez’s death. In 2023, Sofia Marks, known as the “Percocet Princess,” was charged with distributing both fentanyl and alprazolam. She faced potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison for each count after allegedly directly selling De Niro Rodriguez the counterfeit pills that led to his death.

Family Statements

When his grandson died in 2023, Robert De Niro issued a statement saying: “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”

Drena De Niro, Leandro’s mother, also shared her grief at the time, stating: “It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we are given privacy at this time to process this inconsolable grief.”

More recently, following the arrests, the De Niro family released a statement that read in part: “Leandro De Niro Rodriguez – our Leo – was kind, curious, and full of promise. He was a young man just shy of his 20th birthday, with a bright future ahead of him. We miss him terribly.”

Chris Stein, Akira’s father, acknowledged the arrests in a statement on Instagram, thanking officials “for this hope of some justice for her.”

Law Enforcement Response

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated that the defendants relied heavily on social media to target young drug users. Frank Tarentino, special agent in charge for the DEA’s New York Division, noted during a news conference: “Drug trafficking organizations have weaponized social media in a way that allows them to expand their network, make more profits and, unfortunately, get more people addicted to their poison.”

Homeland Security Investigations New York special agent in charge Ricky Patel said: “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.”

A Wider Crisis

The fentanyl epidemic continues to claim young lives across the country. In 2023, roughly 105,000 people in the United States died from drug-involved overdoses (provisional figures). In New York City, there were 3,046 overdose deaths in 2023 and fentanyl was involved in about 80% of those deaths (≈2,400 fentanyl-involved deaths). The DOHMH provisional tables show about 29 overdose deaths among New Yorkers aged 15–24 in 2023.

The arrests represent a significant step in addressing the overdose crisis that continues to claim young lives across the country.