Two Men Indicted in NYC College Dorm Fentanyl Rape and Death
Federal Indictment Charges Two Men in Manhattan Residence Hall Fentanyl Overdose Death
A New York City college student died in March after being drugged with fentanyl and raped in her Manhattan residence hall room, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday. Moises Freire, 19, of the Bronx, and Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, of Queens, were arrested and indicted in connection with the incident at the Fashion Institute of Technology, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Court documents show that two female students were drugged inside a campus residence hall. One of the students survived, while the second student died a few days later from complications of acute fentanyl intoxication. Neither student was named by prosecutors.
Cocaine Supply Claims and the March 18 Residence Hall Assault
On March 18, Freire provided one of the women with a substance he claimed was pure cocaine sourced from Mexico, assuring her it contained no fentanyl, the indictment states. Prosecutors assert that Freire knew the substance was actually fentanyl, having previously described it as fake and poison after acquiring it from Cabrera.
Freire encouraged both women to consume the substance upon arriving at the residence hall, causing them both to lose consciousness immediately. Prosecutors state that Freire then raped one of the women while she was overdosing as the second student lay unconscious several feet away. Following the assault, Freire took naked photographs of the victim and sent them to his friends.
Freire and Cabrera Face Charges After Drugging Students
Prosecutors indicate that Freire waited approximately 45 minutes before contacting campus security, claiming the women were unconscious because they had too much to drink. Campus security located the students and rendered emergency medical services before they were transported to a nearby hospital, where only one woman regained consciousness.
Freire faces charges of distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, distribution of narcotics resulting in death, and conspiracy. Cabrera is charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and serious bodily injury. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. Lawyers for the two men did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the Fashion Institute of Technology has not returned inquiries from NBC News.
“College should be a place where young people can learn, grow, and pursue their dreams, not a place where predators exploit their vulnerability,” said Christopher Roberts, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Task Force Division. “Every student deserves to feel safe, whether walking across campus, sitting in a classroom, or inside their own dorm room.”