By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday that Brandon Sestoso was sentenced to three ½ to seven years in prison in connection with five residential apartment mailbox thefts between April and August 2024.
Sestoso, allegedly accompanied by a female co-conspirator — leading the pair to be dubbed “Bonnie and Clyde” by members of law enforcement — took packages, checks and other valuable items from apartment mailboxes. He then stuffed the letters and parcels into a large bag and then fled from the locations.
Sestoso, 43, of Hicksville, L.I., pleaded guilty on March 24 to burglary in the third degree as part of a global disposition of outstanding burglary charges against him. The Hon. Toni Cimino sentenced him on Tuesday to three ½ to seven years in prison.
His girlfriend and co-defendant, Rowena Farkas, 44, of Bohemia, L.I., was charged on the same indictment as Sestoso on Sept. 20, 2024, and failed to appear in court in February. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest on Feb. 20.
According to the charges and investigation, between April 30 and Aug. 1, 2024, Sestoso engaged in a pattern of burglaries in Sunnyside, Woodside, Jackson Heights and Elmhurst. Sestoso entered residential apartment buildings and made his way into the mailrooms where he used a forged key to open a panel of residents’ mailboxes. He took mail and packages, placing items into bags and then fled from the locations. Farkas allegedly accompanied him for most of the burglaries.
The burglaries took place on 51st Street in Sunnyside, 75th Street in Jackson Heights, 60th Street in Woodside, 44th Avenue, in Elmhurst and 79th Street in Elmhurst.
On Sept. 7, 2024, Sestoso was near 35th Avenue and 84th Street in Jackson Heights when he was approached by NYPD officers. Sestoso began to run away from the officers who pursued him on foot. Eventually, the cops were able to stop Sestoso and arrest him. He was found to be in possession of 23 credit/debit cards that did not match his identity, three forged mail keys and burglar’s tools.
“Brandon Sestoso went on a brazen burglary spree by entering apartment buildings throughout Queens and using a forged key to access private mailboxes,” Katz said. “At the time this defendant was arrested by our partners in the NYPD, he was found in possession of 23 credit and debit cards that did not match his identity. We are laser focused on targeting those who steal identities, hard-earned paychecks and benefits. I encourage anyone who believes that their identity was stolen or is a victim of mail fraud to contact the police or the United State Postal Inspection Service.”
Katz added that anyone who believes they have been a victim of identity theft should report it to the NYPD precinct where they live and contact the creditor’s fraud department for each fraudulently opened or misused account. All consumers are entitled to a free yearly copy of their credit report, which can be obtained through one of these agencies: experian.com, transunion.com, or equifax.com. Victims of identity theft should place a fraud alert on their file with the one of the three agencies.
