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2 men charged in fatal fentanyl poisoning of NYC college student, alleged rape
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 15, 2026
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By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 15, 2026
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Federal prosecutors in New York on Thursday announced the unsealing of an indictment charging two men in connection with the fatal fentanyl poisoning of a college student who authorities say was also raped, and the near-fatal poisoning of another student at a Manhattan residence hall earlier this year.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on Thursday identified the men as Moises Freire, 19, from the Bronx, and Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, from Queens. Prosecutors did not disclose the name of the college where the alleged crimes took place.
“This case alleges not only the deadly distribution of fentanyl to two young women but also the sexual assault of a victim rendered defenseless by that poisoning,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said in a statement. “This office remains committed to protecting college communities against the extraordinary danger posed by those who weaponize narcotics to exploit vulnerable victims.”
Freire allegedly told Peralta Cabrera he wanted to give the women drugs that would “last the entire night” and said it would be a “win-win situation” if the drugs were strong enough to get them addicted, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors alleged that Peralta Cabrera supplied the fentanyl to Freire, knowing Freire intended to give the drugs to the women.
Freire is accused of bringing the drugs, which he claimed did not contain fentanyl and were instead “pure cocaine” from Mexico, to the women's college dorm rooms on March 18.
Both women allegedly lost consciousness shortly after taking the drugs. Prosecutors said Freire then raped one of the women while she was unconscious, as the other woman lay unconscious in her own dorm room several feet away.
Federal prosecutors allege Freire also sent photos of the women to others and waited roughly 45 minutes before approaching campus security, falsely claiming that the women had simply consumed too much alcohol.
Both women were taken to local hospitals, where toxicology testing revealed they had ingested fentanyl, not cocaine, officials said. While one of the students regained consciousness, the other died from complications of acute fentanyl intoxication, according to the indictment.
Federal prosecutors charged Freire and Peralta Cabrera with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury. Freire is also charged with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury and distribution of a controlled substance with the intent to commit rape.
Both men pleaded not guilty to earlier charges in the case in April, according to court records. Attorneys for both men did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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