Two men charged in fatal fentanyl drugging and rape of NYC student

Two men face federal charges following the fatal drugging and rape of a college student inside a Manhattan residence hall. According to a superseding indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Moises Freire, 19, and Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, are accused of conspiring to distribute fentanyl to two undergraduate students on March 18.

Prosecutors allege that Freire falsely presented the fentanyl as pure cocaine. After the two women ingested the substance and lost consciousness, Freire allegedly raped one of the students. The victim, identified in court records as Annabel Richter, lapsed into a coma and died three days later. The New York City Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.

The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and serious bodily injury, distribution resulting in death, and distribution with intent to commit rape. Investigators claim Freire intended to cause addiction in the students, while Peralta Cabrera supplied the narcotics. Both defendants previously pleaded not guilty to initial narcotics charges.