NEW YORK — A 20-year-old girl has been arrested on federal narcotics expenses and is accused of promoting the medication that led to the demise of actor Robert De Niro’s 19-year-old grandson, a regulation enforcement official mentioned Friday.
The girl, Sofia Haley Marks, appeared in Manhattan federal court docket on Friday and agreed to stay behind bars till she requests bail at a later date. Prosecutors mentioned they might oppose a request for her launch.
Marks was arrested Thursday night on three counts of narcotics distribution stemming from the sale of medication to Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, the regulation enforcement official mentioned. The official was not licensed to debate particulars of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity.
Rodriguez was discovered lifeless in his Manhattan condominium on July 2. His mom, Drena De Niro, introduced the demise on Instagram. Amy Gallicchio, an assistant federal defender who represented Marks on Friday, mentioned Marks deliberate to rent a lawyer. Gallicchio declined remark exterior court docket.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams mentioned in an announcement that a minimum of one of many faux oxycodone drugs bought by Marks was “taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose.” Rodriguez was not recognized by identify in court docket paperwork.
Williams mentioned the arrest “was critical because, as we allege, Marks knew the pills could kill, and she continued selling them anyway.”
The prosecutor mentioned fentanyl was now the first killer of Americans from ages 18 to 49. An estimated 109,680 individuals died from drug overdoses in 2022, together with about 75,000 from fentanyl and different artificial opioids.
“More than cancer, car accidents, or gun violence. It is a law enforcement crisis and a public health crisis. And we are doing everything we can to stop it,” he mentioned.
Rodriguez’s reason for demise stays below investigation, a spokesperson for the town medical expert’s workplace mentioned.
When Drena De Niro introduced her son’s demise, she responded to a query to her submit by writing that her son died after “someone sold him fentanyl laced pills.”
Rodriguez was the oldest baby of Drena De Niro and artist Carlos Mare.
Like his well-known grandfather, Rodriguez was an actor who had appeared together with his mom in initiatives together with Bradley Cooper’s 2018 remake of “A Star is Born.”
Robert De Niro mentioned after Rodriguez’s demise that he was “deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo.” A consultant for him didn’t instantly reply to a message searching for remark concerning the arrest.
• Associated Press author Larry Neumeister contributed to his report.
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