Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say a 19-year-old man who gave a college student and her roommate fentanyl disguised as cocaine, then raped one of the women while she was unconscious, waited roughly 45 minutes before contacting campus security — and spent part of that time texting images of the unconscious victims to friends.
Moises Freire, who was not a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Chelsea, is accused of giving the drug to Annabel Richter and her roommate in their dorm room on the night of March 18. Both women lost consciousness almost immediately and were hospitalized. Richter never regained consciousness and died three days later, on March 21, according to the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office.
Court papers unsealed Thursday allege that Freire had told the women he was bringing them cocaine from Mexico, even though he had tried the fentanyl himself a week earlier and described it to a friend in a text as ‘poison.’
Prosecutors say that during the roughly 45 minutes before he alerted campus security, Freire sent photos of the unconscious women to his friends, including an image showing Richter, the victim he is accused of raping, naked below the waist.
When he finally did contact security, Freire allegedly claimed the women were simply unconscious from heavy drinking, and told officers he had not realized Richter was unconscious until after he had finished having sex with her.
Prosecutor Ariana Bloom challenged that account at an April court hearing, pointing to body-worn camera footage of the encounter.
“It is truly hard to believe that the defendant, who seemed entirely coherent and sober at the time, who didn’t have any of the substance, who is captured on the security guard’s body-worn camera seeming coherent and sober, didn’t know what was going on when he was having sex with the victim who was completely unconscious,” Bloom said.
Campus security determined the women were suffering acute fentanyl intoxication and administered Narcan and emergency care before they were taken to the hospital, prosecutors said.
Freire is being held without bail ahead of a trial scheduled for March 2027. He is due back in court October 28 to be arraigned on upgraded charges, including distributing a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, along with additional narcotics counts. He faces a minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life if convicted.
Two other men have been charged in connection with the case. Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, of Queens, faces narcotics conspiracy charges for allegedly helping Freire obtain the fentanyl. A third man, Harry Rosales Pino, has pleaded guilty to narcotics distribution resulting in death.
Public defenders for all three men did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Freire’s attorney has told the court that his client had a consensual ‘sexual relationship’ with Richter in the year before her death.
Richter’s mother, Flavia Rocha, described her daughter as a vibrant presence who loved music and art.
“Annabel was full of life. She knew loads about music and art and had a contagious laughter. Her presence filled the room. For us, her family and her friends, she was and always will be, our beloved Bel,” Rocha said.
Rocha said she hopes her daughter’s death leads to greater awareness of violence against women.
“I don’t want to think of a world in which crimes against women would be too many to count. Bel and I would often discuss how women who suffered violence would rarely have a voice. I hope that Annabel’s story brings awareness, and meets justice,” Rocha said.
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