Boston Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years for Vile Racist Threats

BOSTON – Stephen M. DeBerardinis, 48, of Boston and Dedham, will spend the next 90 months in federal prison after being sentenced today for a barrage of racist threats and attempts to intimidate an interracial couple via Facebook Messenger. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs also ordered three years of supervised release following DeBerardinis’ incarceration.

The case stemmed from a January 2021 incident where DeBerardinis, a complete stranger to the victims, reacted to their engagement announcement on Facebook with a torrent of hateful and violent messages. According to court documents, DeBerardinis unleashed a string of racial slurs and threats, including, “EWWWWWWWW YOUR A N***** F***** F****** DIRTY A** WHITE TRASH,” and promises of brutal violence. When the couple informed him they would report the threats to law enforcement, DeBerardinis doubled down, sending a message stating, “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” accompanied by an image of brass knuckles. He then escalated further, threatening, “Read up more on me lol… you will see how me and my crew burn n*****s alive,” and a horrific threat of rape, murder, and dismemberment directed at the woman, promising body parts would be mailed to her family.

“The toxic brew of racist hate, threats of violence and use of social media to amplify vile and violent attitudes is a corrosive danger to every law-abiding member of our community,” stated Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The nearly eight-year sentence imposed on this defendant should send a message that when you engage in hate crimes, there is a serious price to be paid. This defendant’s horrifying and vicious threats not only imperiled the safety and well-being of the victims here, but they were also a broadside attack on the values of equality and respect that our nation upholds.”

Federal authorities paint a picture of DeBerardinis as a seasoned criminal with a history of disregard for the law. Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, revealed DeBerardinis boasts over 100 arrests in the past 24 years, including prior convictions for threats, intimidation, false reports, impersonating a police officer, and larceny. “Stephen DeBerardinis is a career criminal… who continued to demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law,” Cohen said. “It’s time to stop this defendant from committing further harm, and today’s sentence does exactly that.”

The investigation revealed DeBerardinis accessed the couple’s Facebook announcement because he was friends with one of their mutual connections. Adding another layer to his pattern of harassment, court filings show that in September 2021, months after the initial threats, DeBerardinis also threatened a journalist who had written an article about him. DeBerardinis pleaded guilty to 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.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts are sending a clear message: hate-fueled threats and intimidation will not be tolerated. This case highlights the growing concern over online radicalization and the real-world consequences of virtual hate speech. The victims’ courage in coming forward was crucial to securing this conviction, and authorities are urging anyone who experiences or witnesses similar threats to report them immediately.