Saturday, October 17, 2026

DOJ Charges 2 With Fentanyl Death and Rape of College Women in Dorm But Leaves School Unnamed

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 15 –    In March one NYC college student died of a fentanyl overdose and was raped while another was poisoned by it, nearly fatally. On October 15, 2026 the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced 

"the unsealing of a three-count superseding Indictment charging MOISES FREIRE and BRIAN PERALTA CABRERA with participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy that resulted in the fatal poisoning of one college student and the near-fatal poisoning of another college student n a college residence hall in Manhattan, New York this past March.  The Indictment further alleges that after rendering both women unconscious through fentanyl exposure, FREIRE raped Victim-1, who never regained consciousness and later died.  FREIRE is also charged with distributing fentanyl with the intent to commit a violent crime, specifically, rape."  

 But the school was not named in the press release, nor in the indictment. Why not?

 The Federal Clery Act provides that schools "shall make timely reports to the campus community on crimes considered to be a threat to other students." The dealing of fentanyl in the dorm, resulting in rape and death, would be such a threat.  

In a transcript from each in the case, the AUSA tells the Magistrate Judge ""CC1 told Mr. Peralta in text-message conversation that he was going to be using the drugs with women, he was bringing them to 'the dorm.'"   

The case initially had three defendants, who of whom got and accepted a plea deal prior to the superseding indictment. The transcript of that change of plea proceeding is not yet available. The day after the plea, there was a "SELAED DOCUMENT placed in vault." There is also a removed docket entry. 

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

The case is USA v. Freire, et al., 1:26-cr-111 (Stein)