Several people have been arrested in connection with the July 2023 death of actor Robert De Niro‘s grandson, who overdosed on drugs that were sold to him, according to court documents.

Who were the five defendants linked to Robert De Niro’s grandson’s death?

The five men — Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas — were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in the death of 19-year-old Leandro Anthony De Niro-Rodriguez, who was found dead on July 2, 2023, NBC New York and People reported. Chris Stein’s daughter was also identified as a victim.

What was De Niro-Rodriguez’s cause of death?

Prosecutors say the defendants used social media to sell fentanyl-laced fake Xanax pills to teens and young adults in New York City and Long Island, per NBC New York.

De Niro-Rodriguez’s death was ruled as an accident, and the New York City Medical Examiner confirmed that he died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine.

The teen was the only child of De Niro’s daughter, Drena De Niro, whom the longtime actor had with his first wife.

In addition to De Niro-Rodriguez, two other 19-year-olds died from drug overdoses within three months during the summer of 2023. Each teen’s death resulted from taking fentanyl-laced pills.

‘Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills’

Authorities found De Niro-Rodriguez unconscious at his Wall Street apartment in Lower Manhattan, where he was pronounced dead.

Prosecutors said the 19-year-old had recently moved to New York for a Broadway theater internship after graduating from high school in Aspen, Colorado, and had been in the apartment for only two days, according to NBC New York.

Drena previously said her son died after being sold the pills and confirmed his death on social media in a July 3, 2023, Instagram post.

NBC New York reported that she wrote in a subsequent post, “Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him,” adding, “So for all these people still f—— around selling and buying this s—, my son is gone forever.”

The A Bronx Tale actor also spoke out about his grandson’s death: “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”

De Niro-Rodriguez was also an actor and had three acting credits in films that featured his mother, including The Collection (2005), Cabaret Maxime (2018), and A Star Is Born.