New York Little League coach terrorized by mom whose son didn't make team
Little League coach and family terrorized for a year by disgruntled mother after her son failed to make the team
- John DeMasi and his 10-year-old son were sent letters threatening harm if they didn't quit team
- Fake allegations that coach abused his own children were sent to school
- 'Friend' revealed as culprit after DeMasi's wife recognized her handwriting
- Janet Chiauzzi was found guilty of stalking and sent to prison for 60 days
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A Little League coach in New York has spoken of how his family were terrorized by the mother of a little boy who failed to make the team.
For nearly a year threatening letters were sent to John DeMasi and anonymous and unfounded claims of abuse where made against him.
The family became so fearful of their stalker, who even wrote to their 10-year-old son, that Mr DeMasi's wife, Linda, was forced to give up work.
Ordeal: Linda and John DeMasi were sent threatening letters for nearly a year
Arrest: Janet Chiauzzi was found guilty of stalking after police matched her handwriting to the handwritten addresses on the envelopes
In a chilling twist, the person responsible for the letters turned out to be neighbor Janet Chiauzzi, who the family had considered a friend.
She was caught when Mr DeMasi's wife, Linda, asked the 44-year-old to sign up for a fundraiser, and recognized the woman's distinctive handwriting.
Charges: Chiauzzi was found guilty of stalking in May 2012, and was sentenced to 60 days' prison
'The way she wrote "East Meadow", it was a certain way,' Mrs DeMasi told ABC's 20/20. 'I could feel my knees starting to shake as I was standing there, and I couldn't believe it.'
Chiauzzi was sentenced to 60 days in prison and five years' probation when she was sentenced in May 2012 on charges of stalking.
She began her hate campaign when her son failed to make it on to the summer travel team.
Although the case was nearly two years ago, the DeMasi family remain haunted by the letters and threats made against them.
Their ordeal is documented in an episode of 20/20, due to be broadcast tonight.
The first letters started to arrive in the summer of 2010, accusing Mr DeMasi of using his position as coach to get his son Dominic on the team.
Soon other letters arrived, but this time, instead of complaining about the team and his coaching abilities, the letters included personal information about the family.
'I know where your wife goes every day. I know where your daughter goes to dance school,' Mrs DeMasi said one of the letters claimed.
Concerned for her safety, Mrs DeMasi felt unable to work, and had to give up her part-time job so she could stay as near to her children as possible.
'I didn't feel safe with somebody else driving my children. I was afraid,' she said.
In early 2011, the letter-writer also targeted the couple's son, Dominic. The note arrived on the same day as one addressed to his father, and it said: 'If your father doesn't step back, I'm going to kill him.'
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ShareThe second letter, addressed to Mr DeMasi, said: 'I made it my life's goal now to observe your family on a 24/7 basis ... Just tell your wife and kids to watch themselves, especially at night.'
Shortly afterwards, Nassau County Child Protective Services interviewed the couple's children after receiving an anonymous letter claiming their father beat them - allegations completely unfounded.
The threats affected everyone in the family, including Dominic, who was only 10 at the time.
'Every time I went up to bat, I felt someone was always watching me. It definitely made the game more nerve-wrecking and harder to deal with,' he told 20/20.
Targeted: The DeMasi's son, Dominic, also received letters threatening that harm would come to his family if they didn't cut their ties to the Little League team
The letter that had been addressed to him had read: 'Tell your stupid father to back away from the travel team and East Meadow Baseball or he will be sorry ... accidents do happen and I'm sure you don't want to see your family get hurt.'
During the terrifying ordeal, Chiauzzi, who the family considered a friend, was regularly texting Mrs DeMasi and even came to her 40th birthday party.
But police, who believed the letters to the family, and the one to the school, were coming from the same source, began to suspect the new friend wasn't all that she seemed.
The same handwriting and stamps appeared on all the envelopes, and police believed the letter writer was someone who had intimate knowledge of the family.
To get proof, Mrs DeMasi pretended to be collecting addresses for a fundraising event, to get Chiauzzi to provide a handwriting sample.
She immediately recognized the writing, and police spent 48 hours analyzing the sample with the letters, before finally arresting Chiauzzi in June 2011.
The woman's attorney told 20/20 that Chiauzzi, who was found guilty of stalking, was 'genuinely remorseful'.
'She was willing to accept responsibility for her actions rather than exercise her right to go to trial,' the attorney added.
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