Woman ‘arrested on drug charges linked to De Niro grandson’s death’

A woman has been arrested on federal narcotics charges for allegedly selling the drugs that led to the death of actor Robert De Niro’s 19-year-old grandson, a police official said on Friday.

Sofia Haley Marks, 20, was arrested on Thursday by New York City police officers and federal drug agents on charges of selling drugs to Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the arrest.

Marks was expected to appear in federal court later on Friday. There were no online booking records for Marks’ arrest on Friday, and it could not be determined if she has a lawyer who might speak on her behalf.

Rodriguez was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on July 2. His cause of death remains under investigation, a spokesperson for the city medical examiner’s office said.

Rodriguez’s mother, Drena De Niro, announced her son’s death on Instagram. In response to a question to her post, she wrote that her son died after “someone sold him fentanyl laced pills”.

Rodriguez was the son of Drena De Niro, the eldest child of Robert De Niro, and artist Carlos Mare.

Like his famous grandfather, Rodriguez was an actor had appeared with his mother in projects including Bradley Cooper’s 2018 remake of A Star Is Born.

Robert De Niro said after Rodriguez’s death that he was “deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo”.

A representative for him did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the arrest.