Man Accused of Drugging, Raping Student Sent Victim's Photos Instead of Calling 911

A New York City man has been charged with fatally drugging a Manhattan college student with fentanyl before raping her in her dorm room. Prosecutors allege that Moises Freire, 19, sent nude pictures of the victim to his friends before calling for help, raising questions about whether she could have been saved.

Freire allegedly provided the fentanyl, disguised as cocaine, to Annabel Richter and her roommate at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) on March 18. Both women lost consciousness and were hospitalized. Richter died three days later. According to court documents unsealed on Thursday, Freire had previously described fentanyl to a friend as "poison".

Freire, who was not a student at FIT, is accused of waiting approximately 45 minutes after the women lost consciousness to contact campus security. During this time, he allegedly sent images of the unconscious victims to friends. One image reportedly showed the woman he is accused of raping naked from the waist down.

Prosecutors stated that Freire lied to campus security, claiming the women were unconscious from consuming too much alcohol. He also asserted that he had not noticed his victim was unconscious during the sexual assault. "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," said prosecutor Ariana Bloom during an April court hearing.

Campus security administered emergency services and Narcan upon realizing the women were suffering from acute fentanyl intoxication, after which they were transported to the hospital. The victim, Annabel Richter, never regained consciousness and died on March 21. Her mother, Flavia Rocha, described her daughter as "a bright and beautiful young woman" with "a contagious laughter."

Freire is currently being held without bail and faces a trial in March 2027. He has been arraigned on upgraded charges including distributing a controlled substance with the intent to commit rape, which carries a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted. His lawyer has previously stated that Freire had a consensual sexual relationship with Richter in the year prior to her death.

Two other individuals have been charged in connection with the case. Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, faces narcotics conspiracy charges for allegedly assisting Freire in obtaining the fentanyl. Harry Rosales Pino has pleaded guilty to narcotics distribution resulting in death.