NEW YORK – Authorities have arrested a woman in connection with Robert De Niro’s grandson’s death. As Emily’s Hope reported earlier this month, De Niro’s daughter, Drena, revealed that her 19-year-old son, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, died from fentanyl poisoning. Drena shared on Instagram that, “Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him.”
According to The Associated Press, a 20-year-old woman is behind bars, accused of selling the drugs that killed Leandro. Sofia Haley Marks is facing three counts of narcotics distribution charges. All three charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
“At least one of Marks’s counterfeit pills was purchased and taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose. The arrest was critical because, as we allege, Marks knew the pills could kill, and she continued selling them anyway,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.
According to the criminal complaint, Marks texted the victim about selling counterfeit oxycodone pills and Xanax. She also asked, “(d)o you r(eal)ly need them. I() (don’t) wanna kill u.” When the victim was confused about what Marks meant, she wrote that she didn’t want to kill him, and, “I j(ust) don’t like serving u them cuz they are not script.” The investigator wrote in the complaint that he understands “they are not script” to mean that the pills were not prescription oxycodone pills, and that she recognized that they were dangerous as a result.
The criminal complaint also reveals that the victim bought three counterfeit oxycodone pills from Marks, and authorities only found two pills at the scene of the victim’s death—an apartment where he was staying in downtown Manhattan.
Here is a picture of the scene of the victim’s death revealing two counterfeit oxycodone pills and seven tablets of Xanax.
The criminal complaint also reveals that the toxicology report of the victim showed a presence of cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines.
Fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 and is affecting people of all races, genders and socioeconomic statuses.
Leandro had appeared in several movies, including A Star Is Born, Cabaret Maxime, and The Collection.