A Chevy Chase man on Friday was ordered to spend to a year in prison for sexually abusing a woman he met through a dating website and blackmailing her, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said.
Steven Fabrizio, 58, met the woman on Aug. 19, 2019, after they connected on the website and by text message, according to a press release. Fabrizio gave the woman $400 in exchange for consensual sex, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The next day, Fabrizio sent the woman multiple text messages threatening to tell her parents, her employer and her landlord about the sex-for-cash agreement if she didn’t continue to have “further sexual encounters” with him, according to the press release.
The woman saw him a second time on Aug. 20, 2019, and Fabrizio sexually abused her, according to the press release. After Fabrizio sent additional text messages, the woman called D.C. police, and he was arrested on Aug. 21.
Fabrizio pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count each of third-degree sexual abuse and blackmail.
On Friday, D.C. Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced Fabrizio to 30 months of incarceration, with all but 12 months suspended, according to the press release. It is conditioned on Fabrizio completing three years of supervised probation.
Fabrizio also must register as a sex offender for 10 years after he is released from prison.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@moco360.media