Dedham Man Accused Of Threatening Interracial Couple

DEDHAM, MA - A Dedham man was arrested today and charged with threatening an interracial couple via Facebook Messenger on Jan. 6, 2021, as well with attempting to prevent the couple from reporting these threats and harassment to law enforcement.

Stephen M. DeBerardinis, 45, of Boston and Dedham, was arrested this morning, according to a statement from the U.S Attorney's Office. He appeared in federal court in Boston later in the day and was charged with one count of transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure a person; one count of tampering with a witness and victim by intimidation, threats, and corrupt persuasion; and one count of tampering with a witness and victim by harassment.

“My office aggressively prosecutes people who threaten racially-motivated violence because such threats are illegal, despicable and an affront to American values,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “We take a hard line on threats and intimidation, and these charges make clear that such conduct will be prosecuted federally.”

The couple, a 37-year-old Black man and a 34-year-old white woman whose names were kept confidential in court documents, announced their engagement and posted photographs on Facebook in late December 2020, prosecutors said.

DeBerardinis did not know the couple, but they had mutual friends on Facebook and could see the pictures they posted of their engagement in December. On or about Jan. 6, 2021, DeBerardinis allegedly used Facebook Messenger to send the couple a series of threatening and harassing messages concerning the couple’s interracial relationship.

According to court documents, the messages sent to the woman were laced with racial epithets, including the N-word. He also threatened the woman with rape and dismemberment.

The Boston Herald reported that, when the couple messaged DeBerardinis to alert him that they were contacting the police, prosecutors said his response was: “YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU THERE PHONE NUMBER HAHAHAHA.”

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, DeBerardinis also allegedly sent them a message saying, “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” with a picture of brass knuckles. Other messages said, “Read up more on me lol… you will see how me and my crew burn n*****s alive,” and “And white whores like you well…. get rape and killed THAN we cut off body parts and mail them to your family lol.”

The couple contacted local police, who in turn contacted federal authorities.

An investigation remains ongoing, according to WHDH-TV.

Earlier this month, DeBerardinis was involved in a "Back the Blue" protest in West Roxbury in front of the Area E-5 station. A picture on Universal Hub shows DeBerardinis being led away by police for allegedly protestertrying to punch protesters.

An article on the protest from Universal Hub can be found here.

A Facebook post for a man named Stephen Mario DeBerardinis showed that he began employment in August as the owner of the American Defense Store in Raynham.

“Today’s arrest cannot mitigate the fear that Stephen DeBerardinis caused, and the sense of security this couple lost, but it does bring him to justice for allegedly sending a series of rage-filled messages threatening horrific acts of violence,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.

“Acts of intimidation and threats of violence perpetrated against people because of their race, ethnicity, color, or creed are reprehensible," he continued. "While we all have the right to believe whatever we want, when those views threaten or lead to violence, that’s a different story. We encourage anyone who has been the victim of, or witness to, such crimes to report it to the FBI.”

If convicted of all the charges, DeBerardinis can face a maximum sentence of 28 years in prison. DeBerardinis is due back in federal court on Oct. 4.