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Blondie guitarist Chris Stein posted an announcement online after five men were arrested in relation to the overdose deaths of his daughter, Akira, and Robert De Niro's grandson, Leandro. On October 31, Stein wrote to his 89,000 followers on Instagram: '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. Please be careful.' The post came one day after Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas were charged with allegedly supplying the pills that killed three teenagers, including Akira and Leandro, in 2023. The five suspects were accused of running a drug ring in New York City and supplying thousands of counterfeit prescription pills to teens and young adults, according to the indictment reviewed by the Daily Mail. Akira, 19, was referred to as 'victim 1' and Leandro, also 19, as 'victim 3' in court papers. Stein's daughter died on May 30, 2023, after she took drugs allegedly provided to her by John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas. She had overdosed on them twice before a third fatal ingestion, according to the indictment. Court documents state that 'victim 1' was found unconscious on the floor of the bathroom in her family's apartment in downtown Manhattan. Prior to the five arrests last week, 20-year-old Sophia Haley Marks, an alleged dealer known as the 'Percocet Princess,' was charged with selling the drugs to De Niro's grandson, Leandro, which would kill the young man. The new indictment of the five men who were charged last week provide some more details into Leandro's final drug deal. The court papers say 'victim 3' purchased drugs from an unnamed female distributor referred to as 'CC-1,' who had sourced the pills from Epperson and Barreto. 'CC-1' sold 'a mix of fentanyl pills and Xanax' to 'victim 3' in the week leading up to his death, according to the court document. She 'knew the pills she was providing to victim 3 were strong and warned (him) to be careful when taking the pills,' the indictment reads. A conversation between the two on June 30, which appeared to be over text, was quoted in court documents. In it, the dealer told Leandro she did not like selling the pills because they were not prescription. She even told 'victim 3,' 'I don't want to kill you.' Despite the warning, Leandro agreed to purchase three fentanyl pills and two Xanax bars for $105 the next day. They arranged for a car to drop the pills off close to 'CC-1's home in Midtown Manhattan. She placed the drugs in an envelope and delivered them to 'victim 3''s friend's apartment downtown. The pills were delivered shortly after 9.15pm that day. A few hours later, at 1.50am on July 2, 'CC-1' texted 'victim 3' asking: 'u good?' He never replied. Later that morning, he was found dead inside his friend's apartment, the indictment states. De Niro paid tribute after his grandson died, writing: 'I'm deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone.' Akira's father, Chris Stein, is the co-founder and guitarist for the hit band Blondie, which created chart topping songs such as One Way or Another and Heart of Glass. Leandro and Akira's deaths were part of a broader fentanyl and counterfeit prescription pill overdose crisis in New York and across the country. In 2023, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recorded 3,046 fatal overdoses. That number represented a one percent decline from the prior year after four consecutive years of increases. Nationally that year, the Center for Disease Control recorded 110,037 fatal overdoses. In 2024, the number in New York City declined 28 percent to 2,192 overdose deaths. There was a similar decline across the country last year as well, with a 27 percent decrease to 80,391 drug overdose deaths.
