Westchester Siblings Charged With Cyberstalking, Sextortion: DOJ

YORKTOWN, NY — A man who is already in prison for sex crimes against children, is accused of sexually extorting new victims from prison, with the help of his sister.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of NY; and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the NY Field Office of the FBI, announced the unsealing of a complaint charging 54-year-old Fred Mastroianni, formerly of White Plains but currently in federal prison, and 69-year-old Doreen Mastroianni, of Yorktown Heights, with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion. The siblings will be presented in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik on December 11.

"As alleged, Fred and Doreen Mastroianni have cyberstalked and conspired to extort victims by threatening to release compromising images of them to the public, allegedly engaging in this conduct even though Fred is already serving a 35-year prison sentence for receiving, distributing, and producing child pornography," Williams said. "This Office will continue to protect the community from those who repeatedly try to harm and exploit vulnerable citizens."

According to the unsealed complaint, Fred Mastroianni is currently serving a 35-year sentence imposed by the Honorable Philip M. Halpern, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, on August 15, for receiving and distributing child pornography and for the sexual exploitation of a minor.

SEE ALSO: Westchester Man Get 35-Year Federal Sentence In Child Sex Abuse Case

Prosecutors say that since at least October, Fred Mastroianni and his sister, Doreen Mastroianni, have engaged in a plot to extort victims by threatening to release sexually explicit images and videos of the victims that Fred Mastroianni has saved. The extortion attempts aimed to compel victims to send money to Fred Mastroianni's prison commissary account and to fund the purchase of an insurance policy against Doreen Mastroianni's life for the benefit of her brother. Fred Mastroianni used another inmate's email account to send his sister draft extortion threats in furtherance of their scheme. As directed by her brother, Doreen Mastroianni forwarded the extortion threats to victims on his behalf.

"The Mastroianni siblings allegedly preyed on individuals who were victimized by Fred Mastroianni; stalking and conspiring to extort them for the siblings' financial benefit," Dennehy said. "Victimization by sexual exploitation is beyond appalling and will not be tolerated. FBI New York will work tirelessly to hold accountable anyone attempting to utilize stalking and extortion for financial gain."

The siblings are each charged with one count of cyberstalking, which carries up to five years in prison; one count of interstate extortion, which carries up to two years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate extortion, which carries up to five years in prison.

Williams praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Margaret N. Vasu, and Courtney Heavey are in charge of the prosecution.

The FBI says there may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact the FBI through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or online.