NEW YORK – Newly unsealed federal court documents allege a 19-year-old man gave two New York college students fentanyl disguised as cocaine, leaving one dead and the other hospitalized, before sexually assaulting one of the women and sharing semi-nude photos of her with friends.
Two men are facing federal charges in connection with the death of a student at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and the fentanyl poisoning of another.
According to the indictment, Moises Freire, 19, obtained fentanyl from Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, and brought the drugs to the victims’ undergraduate residence hall in Manhattan on March 18.
Authorities allege Freire asked Cabrera for drugs that would “last the entire night,” adding that if the drugs were strong enough, the victims would become addicted, which would be a “win win situation.”
The indictment alleges Freire then told the two women he had cocaine, not fentanyl, despite knowing what the substance contained.
After the women ingested the drugs, they allegedly lost consciousness. Freire is accused of raping one of the women while she was unconscious and sending semi-nude photos of her to friends. He allegedly told them the women were “completely unconscious.”
Authorities said Freire waited about 45 minutes before contacting campus security, telling responders the women had consumed too much alcohol.
Campus security personnel administered emergency aid, including Narcan, and both women were taken to Manhattan hospitals. One regained consciousness after life-saving treatment, while the other died.
Toxicology testing later confirmed that both women had ingested fentanyl and no cocaine, according to authorities.
“The allegations in this case are beyond disturbing and include a cruel deception and unimaginable assault,” said Christopher Roberts, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Task Force Division. He said the allegations that one of the women was sexually assaulted while unconscious and defenseless were particularly horrifying.
Freire, of the Bronx, and Peralta Cabrera, of Queens, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
Freire is also charged with distribution of a controlled substance with the intent to commit rape, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The allegations come amid growing scrutiny of Cornell University’s handling of an alleged drug-facilitated gang rape in 2024.
“College should be a place where young people can learn, grow, and pursue their dreams, not a place where predators exploit their vulnerability,” Roberts said. “Every student deserves to feel safe, whether walking across campus, sitting in a classroom, or inside their own dorm room.”
