Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Brandon Sestoso was sentenced to 3 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.

District Attorney Katz said: “Brandon Sestoso went on a brazen burglary spree by entering apartment buildings throughout Queens and using a forged key to access private mailboxes. 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.”

District Attorney Katz said 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:  www.experian.com, www.transunion.com, or www.equifax.com. Victims of identity theft should place a fraud alert on their file with the one of the three agencies

Sestoso, 43, of McAlester Avenue in Hicksville, pleaded guilty March 24 to burglary in the third degree as part of a global disposition of outstanding burglary charges against him. Supreme Court Justice Toni M. Cimino sentenced him today to 3 ½ to seven years in prison.

His girlfriend and co-defendant, Rowena Farkas, 44, of Franklin Avenue in Bohemia, was charged on the same indictment as the defendant on September 20, 2024, and failed to appear in court in February. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest on February 20, 2025.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, between April 30 and August 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. The defendant 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 51^st Street in Sunnyside, 75^th Street in Jackson Heights, 60^th Street in Woodside, 44^th Avenue, in Elmhurst and 79^th Street in Elmhurst.

On September 7, 2024, Sestoso was near 35^th Avenue and 84^th 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 officers were able to stop the defendant and arrest him. At that time, Sestoso 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.

Assistant District Attorney Samuel Goodstein, of the District Attorney’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau, prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mary Lowenburg, Bureau Chief, Catherine C. Kane, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, and Jonathan Scharf, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Investigations Gerard A. Brave.