Five individuals have been formally charged in relation to the fatal overdose of Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, along with two other teenagers.
On July 2, 2023, the tragic event occurred in Manhattan, New York, when the actor’s grandson succumbed to a drug overdose.
The 19-year-old’s death was ruled by the New York City Chief Medical Examiner as a result of the toxic effects of fentanyl and several other illicit substances, including alprazolam, bromazolam, cocaine, ketamine, and 7-aminoclonazepam.
The medical office classified it as an accidental overdose.
In response to the news, Robert De Niro, aged 82 at the time, expressed being ‘deeply distressed’ over the loss of his ‘beloved grandson,’ who was the only child of his daughter, Drena.
Drena De Niro, the actor’s daughter, shared a heartfelt message in memory of her son, describing him as her ‘joy’, ‘heart’, and ‘all that was ever pure and real in my life.’
“I wish I was with you. I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama,” Drena wrote on Instagram. “You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you.”
Recently, New York authorities have identified five additional suspects linked to a suspected narcotics network responsible for three deaths.
The individuals, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, have been apprehended and charged in connection to the deaths of Rodriguez and two other teenagers, including Akira Stein, daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein.
Stein was discovered deceased on May 30 from fentanyl-laced pills allegedly acquired from John and Roy Nicolas.
Another unnamed victim, who died on June 13, is believed to have obtained the lethal pills through an intermediary associated with McIver.
Rodriguez is reported to have acquired the pills from a dealer who sourced them from McLver, Epperson, and Barreto.
A woman was also taken into custody in 2023 for allegedly selling three counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and Xanax tablets to the teenager.
The prosecution claims that the five men operated an illegal fentanyl drug network that involved distributing counterfeit prescription opioid pills via social media and encrypted messaging platforms to young people across the city from January to July 2023.
They face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, with potential sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment if found guilty.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Chris Stein, Blondie’s guitarist, acknowledged the recent arrests.
Stein stated: “Arrests have been made and announced today in Akira’s case.
“The DEA, US Attorney folks from the NYC Southern District and NYPD have been very sympathetic and respectful all through this process and I can’t thank them enough for this hope of some justice for her.”
Ricky Patel, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York, remarked on Thursday (October 30): “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.”
LADBible Group has reached out to De Niro’s representatives for their comments.