Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Bruce Epperson, a/k/a “Tea,” Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, a/k/a “Dizzy,” John Nicolas, a/k/a “John John,” and Roy Nicolas, with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs that caused the overdose deaths of three 19-year-old victims: Akira Stein, a second victim identified as Victim-2, and Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez.
“Today, justice has been delivered. While the arrest of these five individuals will not bring back the lives lost, we hope it brings some measure of closure to the families who continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones,” said DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “These arrests serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that social media can pose, and of the predators who hide behind social media applications, looking to exploit our youth and sell their fentanyl pills through digital connections. Whether you deal on computer screens or on our streets, the DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to targeting those responsible. This is a fight to save lives.”
“The defendants ran a fentanyl distribution network that sold thousands of fentanyl pills to teenagers and young adults living in New York City, relying heavily on social media to target young drug users,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The defendants are responsible for causing the overdose deaths of three 19-year-olds. The arrests of these defendants are part of our continued commitment to our fellow New Yorker: we will fight fentanyl from flowing onto our streets and bring to justice the dealers and suppliers who push this poison, especially those who target our kids.”
“These defendants allegedly used social media to manipulate teenagers and sell them thousands of deadly fentanyl pills, leading to fatal overdoses of three young New Yorkers,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The NYPD remains laser-focused on dismantling dangerous drug networks and restoring quality-of-life in our communities. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, the DEA, HSI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their relentless work to shut this operation down and bring these dangerous individuals to justice.”
“Through their alleged actions, these defendants left behind a trail of irreversible loss that cut short the lives of three teenagers who held boundless potential and who had already made profound, immeasurable impacts on those who knew them,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel. “Every pill, every dose, represents a calculated act of devastation, leaving behind shattered lives and the destruction of dreams. The fight against fentanyl is a fight for justice, for safety, and for the future of our communities. Today and always, HSI New York will confront this crisis with unwavering resolve, holding accountable those who spread this deadly poison and protecting New Yorkers from its grip.”
Epperson and McIver were arrested on October 28, 2025, in Troy, New York, and Houston, Texas, respectively. John Nicolas and Roy Nicholas were arrested on October 25, 2025, in Buffalo, New York, and Valley Stream, New York, respectively. Barreto surrendered to law enforcement in Manhattan on October 29, 2025, and was presented that same day in the Southern District of New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses. McIver was presented before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Texas on October 29, 2025; Epperson was presented on October 28, 2025, in the Southern District of New York, before Judge Moses; John Nicolas was presented on October 27, 2025, in the Western District of New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Kenneth Schroeder Jr.; and Roy Nicolas was presented on October 27, 2025, in the Southern District of New York, before Judge Moses. Epperson, McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas are currently being detained. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
As alleged in the charging instruments, court filings, and statements in the public record:
From at least in or about January 2023, through at least in or about July 2023, Epperson, Barreto, McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, were members of a criminal network that distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl, among other drugs, to teenagers and young adults living in New York City. During that time, the defendants operated three overlapping drug businesses based in New York City and Long Island: one controlled by Epperson and Barreto; one controlled by McIver; and one controlled by John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas. While separately managed by each of those defendants, the defendants’ drug businesses were connected through each defendant’s use of two other drug dealers (identified as “CC-1” and “CC-2” in the Indictment) to help distribute their drugs.
To maximize the reach of their drug businesses, Epperson, Barreto, McIver, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas, together with CC-1 and CC-2, used an online distribution network that leveraged the power of social media and encrypted messaging platforms to distribute their drugs to customers living in New York City. The platforms used by the defendants included, among others, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram. By using social media and encrypted messaging platforms, in particular, the defendants were able to specifically target teenagers and young adults.
The defendants’ drug dealing had deadly consequences. During a single three-month period in the summer of 2023, the fentanyl pills distributed by the defendants caused at least three deaths: Stein, Victim-2, and De Niro-Rodriguez, who were each 19 years old. Specifically:
On or about May 30, 2023, Stein—who is identified in the Indictment as Victim-1—died in her family’s apartment in downtown Manhattan after ingesting fentanyl-laced pills that she had purchased from John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas one day earlier. Over the six months leading up to her fatal overdose, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas repeatedly sold numerous fentanyl-laced pills to Stein. Stein suffered multiple non-fatal overdoses as a result of ingesting those pills. Stein was 19 years old when she died.
Approximately two weeks after Stein’s fatal overdose, on or about June 13, 2023, a second victim—identified in the Indictment as Victim-2—died in his family’s apartment in midtown Manhattan after snorting a crushed pill that was laced with fentanyl and an even more potent fentanyl analogue that was provided to him by CC-1, which CC-1 had obtained from McIver. Like Stein, Victim-2 was 19 years old when he died.
Less than a month after Victim-2’s death, on or about July 2, 2023, De Niro-Rodriguez—who is identified in the Indictment as Victim-3—died of a fatal overdose inside a friend’s downtown-Manhattan apartment after ingesting a fentanyl-laced pill that he purchased from CC-1 the day before. At that time, CC-1 was selling pills provided to CC-1 by McIver, Epperson, and Barreto. Like Stein and Victim-2, De Niro-Rodriguez was 19 years old when he died.
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Bruce Epperson, a/k/a “Tea,” 24, Eddie Barreto, 22, Grant McIver, a/k/a “Dizzy,” 24, John Nicolas, a/k/a “John John,” 29, and Roy Nicolas, 23, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing 400 grams and more of fentanyl, mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of para-fluorofentanyl, and mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of alprazolam, resulting in the deaths of Stein, Victim-2, and De Niro-Rodriguez, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
DEA thanks all partners involved in this case, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, HSI New York, NYPD, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, the Troy Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Montgomery County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, and the Jersey Village Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys William Kinder, Matthew J. King, and Dana McCann are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.