In a series of coordinated investigations by the FBI in collaboration with the Lewiston Police Department and the Boston Police Department, two Massachusetts residents have admitted to racially motivated crimes. Charles Allen Barnes, from Lewiston, ME, confessed to sending racist death threats to a Black family in his apartment complex. In a separate but related case, Stephen DeBerardinis, a Hyde Park man, admitted to threatening and harassing an interracial couple through Facebook Messenger, including attempts to prevent them from reporting the threats to authorities. The admissions come as part of a broader crackdown on racially motivated harassment and threats, highlighting the ongoing issue of racial intolerance in communities. The incidents involving DeBerardinis occurred in 2021.
A man pleaded guilty on multiple charges Wednesday after he sent an interracial couple several hateful messages over Facebook in 2021, including threats to burn them alive and dismember them, prosecutors said. https://t.co/D2zmJ6tXl4
Hyde Park man admits he threatened to carve up interracial couple for the crime of existing https://t.co/nXB3YRWUCO
‘Cowardly’: Mass. man pleads guilty to threatening interracial couple through Facebook Messenger https://t.co/lDgbe8BeAk
Following our investigation with the Boston Police Department, Stephen DeBerardinis admitted today to threatening and harassing an interracial couple, and attempting to prevent the couple from reporting the threats & harassment to law enforcement. https://t.co/z8Fm09HEgP https://t.co/bl6upV0b29
Charles Allen Barnes, of Lewiston, ME, has admitted to sending racist death threats to to a Black family living in his apartment complex following our investigation with the Lewiston Police Department. https://t.co/r7z5THUZjj