New York man charged with rape and lethal fentanyl dosing of college student

Key Points:

• Moises Freire, 19, is accused of raping a student at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) after giving her fentanyl, which caused her to become unconscious and later die; he faces charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distributing a deadly drug with intent to commit rape.
• Two other men, Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, and Harry Rosales Pino, are also charged in connection with the fentanyl distribution conspiracy, with Rosales having pleaded guilty to narcotics distribution resulting in death and serious injury.
• Prosecutors allege Freire misrepresented fentanyl as cocaine and persuaded two women to take it, leading to their overdose; one woman died after slipping into a coma, while the other nearly died.
• Freire admitted in writing to raping the unconscious woman and delayed alerting authorities, instead taking photos of the women and only notifying building security about 40 minutes later.
• The case highlights ongoing issues with fentanyl-related deaths in the US, and the defendants remain in federal custody pending trial, with FIT and the victims' identities withheld in charging documents.