Five people were indicted for the drug-related deaths of actor Robert De Niro's grandson and two other teenagers

Robert DeNiro/Shutterstock

According to Deadline, the DEA, NYPD, Homeland Security, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced the indictment of five suspects in connection with the drug overdose death of Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, the 19-year-old grandson of actor Robert De Niro, as well as two other teens: Akira Stein and an unidentified individual. All of the teenagers were 19 years old when they died in July 2023 due to an overdose of drugs, including fentanyl.

Leandro De Niro Rodriguez/Instagram

Rodriguez was the son of Drena De Niro, who is the daughter of Robert. Following his death, Drena expressed on social media that someone had sold Leandro pills that they knew were laced with fentanyl.

Deadline also reported that Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas were charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs that led to the overdose deaths of the victims in October, 2025. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and can result in a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The charges allege that the defendants operated a fentanyl distribution network that sold pills to teenagers and young adults, heavily using social media to target young drug users. They are specifically accused of distributing mixtures and substances containing 400 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as those containing detectable amounts of para-fluorofentanyl and alprazolam, as reported by Deadline.

Leandro was an actor known for A Star Is Born (2018), The Collection (2005), and Cabaret Maxime (2018), according to IMDb.

To subscribe to Volume 82, click the link. To follow our Instagram, click here; for TikTok, click here!