Five people arrested in connection with Leandro De Niro Rodriguez death

The five men - Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas - have been charged with allegedly running a drug-supply ring accused of distributing counterfeit prescription pills to young people across New York, according to an indictment obtained by the Daily Mail.

Authorities allege the group provided the pills that killed three teenagers in 2023, one of whom was identified in court papers as "victim 3" - details that match Leandro's age, death date and location.

Leandro, the only son of De Niro's adopted daughter Drena De Niro and artist Carlos Rodriguez was found dead on 2 July 2023 inside a one-bedroom apartment at the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street.

A white powdery substance was discovered on a plate near his body.

According to the indictment, a woman identified as CC-1 supplied Leandro with a combination of fentanyl and Xanax in the days before his death.

She allegedly sourced the pills from Epperson and Barreto and sold them to the teenager despite acknowledging their danger.

"She knew the pills she was providing to victim 3 were strong and warned (him) to be careful when taking the pills," the document reads.

During a text exchange on 30 June 2023, the dealer reportedly told Leandro: "I don't want to kill you."

When he replied, "Huh? Elaborate," she wrote: "Do u rly need them... Ion wanna kill you."

Leandro responded: "Sorry I b mad paranoid... I misinterpreted this," to which she answered: "I j(ust) don't like serving them cuz they not script (prescription)."

Despite the warning, Leandro purchased three fentanyl pills and two Xanax for $105, arranging for them to be delivered by car service to a friend's apartment in downtown Manhattan.

The pills were dropped off around 9.15pm, and hours later, at 1.50 am on 2 July, CC-1 texted him asking, "u good?" He never replied.

He was found dead later that morning.

Separately, Sophia Haley Marks - known online as the "Percocet Princess" - was previously charged with supplying the drugs that led to Leandro's death.

The teenager had been living alone in the upscale apartment for less than a year.

His building's concierge told the Daily Mail that Leandro was "a friendly young man, who'd always say hello when he came and went."

"I'd see him every now and then, and he'd always say hi," the concierge said. "He just was friendly, kept to himself."

"I didn't know who he was until I read the story," he added. "It's a tragedy. I was just talking to my coworker that said my daughter just turned 20. You see his picture - he was a baby."

Robert De Niro said at the time: "I'm deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone."

The New York City medical examiner ruled Leandro's death an accident, citing toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine.