Feds Crack Down on Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Linked to Robert De Niro's Grandson's Overdose Death
Five men in their 20s have been federally charged in connection with the overdose death of actor Robert De Niro's grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, and two other young adults whose deaths were linked to fentanyl laced pills sold by the same traffickers. The suspects, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, all face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and alprazolam, which resulted in the deaths of De Niro-Rodriguez, 19-year-old Akira Stein, daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein, and another unnamed victim.
According to authorities, the five men allegedly used social media and encrypted messaging apps to sell thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl to teens and young adults. Prosecutors claim that these traffickers knowingly sold deadly drugs, leading to the deaths of at least three young people in 2023.
One of the victims, Stein, had warned one of the suspects about the dangers of the pills she had received, saying "just warn customers in batch might be extra strong." She later died after another overdose, prosecutors said. De Niro-Rodriguez and his mother appeared in several films before their tragic deaths.
The investigation into the trafficking ring took 16 months to crack down, with law enforcement officials confirming that more arrests could be coming. The DEA has already made five arrests in connection with the case, including Epperson, who was arrested Tuesday in Troy, New York, and McIver, who was arrested two days later in Houston, Texas.
The charges carry a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each defendant if convicted as charged. The investigation has highlighted the dangers of social media being used to expand the reach of illicit drug trafficking networks, making it easier for traffickers to make profits and addict more people to their poison.
In addition to the five men charged in connection with De Niro-Rodriguez's overdose death, 19 others have been federally charged with running a drug distribution racket in New York City's Washington Square Park since 2020. The indictment alleges that these defendants maintained a year-round market for opioids and crack cocaine in the park and had been arrested multiple times for drug-related crimes before returning to the park to continue selling drugs.
The case serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of fentanyl trafficking and the need for continued vigilance from law enforcement agencies in combating this deadly epidemic.
Five men in their 20s have been federally charged in connection with the overdose death of actor Robert De Niro's grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, and two other young adults whose deaths were linked to fentanyl laced pills sold by the same traffickers. The suspects, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, all face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and alprazolam, which resulted in the deaths of De Niro-Rodriguez, 19-year-old Akira Stein, daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein, and another unnamed victim.
According to authorities, the five men allegedly used social media and encrypted messaging apps to sell thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl to teens and young adults. Prosecutors claim that these traffickers knowingly sold deadly drugs, leading to the deaths of at least three young people in 2023.
One of the victims, Stein, had warned one of the suspects about the dangers of the pills she had received, saying "just warn customers in batch might be extra strong." She later died after another overdose, prosecutors said. De Niro-Rodriguez and his mother appeared in several films before their tragic deaths.
The investigation into the trafficking ring took 16 months to crack down, with law enforcement officials confirming that more arrests could be coming. The DEA has already made five arrests in connection with the case, including Epperson, who was arrested Tuesday in Troy, New York, and McIver, who was arrested two days later in Houston, Texas.
The charges carry a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each defendant if convicted as charged. The investigation has highlighted the dangers of social media being used to expand the reach of illicit drug trafficking networks, making it easier for traffickers to make profits and addict more people to their poison.
In addition to the five men charged in connection with De Niro-Rodriguez's overdose death, 19 others have been federally charged with running a drug distribution racket in New York City's Washington Square Park since 2020. The indictment alleges that these defendants maintained a year-round market for opioids and crack cocaine in the park and had been arrested multiple times for drug-related crimes before returning to the park to continue selling drugs.
The case serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of fentanyl trafficking and the need for continued vigilance from law enforcement agencies in combating this deadly epidemic.
i feel bad for roger de niro's grandson leandro his mom too she was in films with him before he passed away. how did they find out about this trafficking ring it took 16 months? isn't that long to crack down on something that's killing people every day? and why are these guys selling fake pills online? didnt they know the risks? 
i guess social media makes it easy for them to reach more customers. does anyone think this is gonna stop them or will they just find new ways to sell their poison?
. It's just devastating to think about how many lives were lost due to these traffickers' reckless actions. The fact that they used social media and encrypted messaging apps to sell thousands of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl is just alarming. I mean, can you even imagine the kind of person would do something like that? 
.
Just heard about this crazy news... Five young dudes are charged with selling fake pills laced with deadly fentanyl 
What's even crazier is that one of the victims, Akira Stein, had actually warned someone about the dangers of the pills she got 
But still ended up dying from another overdose... this case just highlights how hard it is to keep track of who's selling what on social media 
now we'll have to wait and see if they can get these guys behind bars for a long time 
. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting to see any major overhaul of social media regulations to prevent this from happening in the first place...
. These suspects knew exactly what they were doing by selling counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl to teens and young adults - it's just horrific 
. I mean, one of the victims even warned someone about the dangers of the pills she had received, but did anyone listen? 
. The charges carry a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, which is a good start, but I wish it was more 
. The investigation has highlighted the need for vigilance from law enforcement agencies, and we should all be paying attention to this epidemic 
. Anyway, kudos to the DEA for making these arrests and bringing justice to the victims' families 
.
come on guys, you're not even trying to hide the fact that your products are deadly 
. let's hope their example serves as a deterrent for others who'd think it's cool to sell deadly pills online 
Man, it's just heartbreaking to think about these young lives lost to fentanyl overdoses 
.
. And now we're left with a case that's just a grim reminder of how easy it is for these traffickers to get away with selling deadly drugs online.
But it's not gonna bring back Leandro or Akira... or anyone else who's lost their life to fentanyl. We gotta keep pushing for more and better solutions to this epidemic 
.
. It's like, how hard is it to use your own common sense when you're dealing with something this deadly? I'm so glad the investigation cracked down on them and more arrests are coming 
.
. It's like, we need some major changes to how we regulate online platforms and keep people safe from exploitation. This case is a harsh reminder that we need to stay vigilant and look out for each other 
.
. It's like, what's the point of even living if you're not going to be able to enjoy your life without being worried about getting poisoned? 
We need to keep fighting against these traffickers and support our law enforcement agencies in every way we can 
. The stats are crazy - 87% of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the US involve counterfeit pills 
. But seriously, how many more lives need to be lost before we take action? 
. We need to come together as a society and demand more from our law enforcement agencies 
.
. We need to keep talking about this issue and supporting those affected by addiction 
That's some powerful stuff right there!
And to think that Robert De Niro's own grandson was a victim... it's just heartbreaking. 
anywayz, gotta give props 2 the dea & law enforcement 4 tryna crack down on this stuff 