Massachusetts man charged with harassing interracial couple

BOSTON — Federal prosecutors say a Massachusetts man posted racial epithets, crude language and threats of physical harm in response to an interracial couple who had announced their engagement on Facebook.

Stephen DeBerardinis is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday. An email seeking comment was left with his federal public defender.

Prosecutors say when the couple announced their engagement with accompanying photographs on Facebook in late December, DeBerardinis reacted several days later with epithets and profanities.

When the couple said they were informing law enforcement, he allegedly threatened them with physical harm. DeBerardinis did not know the couple.

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