Overview of the Indictment
Federal prosecutors in New York City announced criminal charges against moises freire following an incident where a college student died from acute fentanyl intoxication after being drugged and raped in a campus residence hall. According to announcements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, court documents indicate that both victims were students at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Details of the Charges and Arrests
Two men faced indictment in connection with the events that unfolded in March. Nineteen-year-old moises freire, a resident of the Bronx, faces counts of distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, distribution of narcotics resulting in death, and conspiracy. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Brian Peralta Cabrera of Queens was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and serious bodily injury. Prosecutors state both individuals have entered pleas of not guilty.
The Sequence of Events
According to the indictment, Freire supplied one of the women with a substance he claimed was pure cocaine imported from Mexico, falsely asserting it contained no fentanyl. Investigators state that Freire acquired the substance from Cabrera and allegedly knew it was fentanyl, having previously described it as fake and poison. After the two women consumed the substance inside the Manhattan dorm room, they immediately lost consciousness. Prosecutors report that Freire then raped one victim while she overdosed, while the second student lay unconscious nearby. He also allegedly took photographs of the victim and transmitted them to friends.
Campus Response and Investigation
Approximately 45 minutes later, Freire contacted campus security, claiming the victims were unresponsive due to alcohol consumption. Campus staff arrived, administered emergency medical care, and transferred the students to a hospital. While one student survived, the student who was assaulted passed away days later from complications tied to fentanyl poisoning. Law enforcement officials continue to examine the case as part of broader discussions regarding student safety and campus misconduct.
Sources: NBC News, CBS News, ABC7 New York.
