NY Fentanyl Ring Charged in Deaths of Robert De Niro’s Grandson

Federal prosecutors say five men ran a New York drug network that sold counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl to teens; including Robert De Niro’s grandson and Blondie co-founder Chris Stein’s daughter, killing both within weeks

Federal authorities in the Southern District of New York announced the arrest of five men in connection with a deadly counterfeit pill distribution network that resulted in 9 overdoses and claimed the lives of at least two teens. The teens were 19-year-old Leandro De Niro‑Rodriguez, a grandson of actor Robert De Niro, and 19-year-old Akira Stein, daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein in 2023.

According to the indictment, unsealed in federal court, defendants Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas operated a network that distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to teens and young adults in New York City. The indictment links the group’s counterfeit “Perc 30” and “M-30” pills to at least nine overdoses, including those of the two 19-year-old victims.

Prosecutors say Leandro De Niro Rodriguez died on July 2, 2023, after ingesting a pill that contained fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine. His death was ruled accidental by the New York City Medical Examiner. 

NEW 🚨Federal prosecutors in the SDNY say the fentanyl ring behind the deaths of Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro, and Blondie co-founder Chris Stein’s daughter Akira (and 9 other OD’s), was more than just a drug network… it was a death trap on social media. Five men were… pic.twitter.com/wnLp5V0Zeq

— Lauren Conlin (@conlin_lauren) October 30, 2025

Akira Stein died six weeks earlier, on May 30, 2023, after reportedly warning one of the dealers that a batch of pills was “extra strong” just hours prior to her overdose. Despite the warning, the same batch was sold again to Leandro De Niro Rodriguez weeks later, who died from the same mix, per the indictment.

The arrests follow earlier charges in 2023 against Sofia H. Marks, known in media reports as the “Percocet Princess,” who allegedly supplied pills to Leandro. 

Federal agents say the pill-trafficking crew shockingly marketed their product on social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok. They used emojis like 💊💙 or code phrases (“blues,” “bars,” “pressies”) to disguise fentanyl laced products. The indictment also outlines a “referral system” where buyers could earn discounts by recruiting other users; including high-school and college-aged customers. Text messages quoted in the filing include lines like “Send 2 more kids my way and your next blues free.” Prosecutors call this “one of the most cynical fentanyl marketing operations” seen in the city.

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Young buyers were told the pills were “Percocets,” but lab testing later showed they contained deadly quantities of fentanyl and designer tranquilizers such as bromazolam. They specifically targeted teenagers. The “network” reportedly dates back to at least 2019. The investigation remains active with additional suspects and overdose deaths under review.