Phillip Thomas pleaded guilty to attempting to kidnap the WWE wrestler Sonya Deville. (Mugshot of Thomas: Florida Department of Corrections; screenshot of Deville: WWE)
An armed man accused of cutting a hole in a patio screen and clandestinely watching the WWE wrestler known as Sonya Deville before breaking into her home in an attempt to kidnap her will spend 15 years behind bars.
Phillip A. Thomas, 27, must spend 15 in prison and 15 years on probation for trying to kidnap Deville — real name Daria Berenato — in August of 2020.
Authorities said that on Aug. 15, 2020, Thomas traveled from South Carolina to Hillsborough County, Florida. He parked his car at a church near Berenato's home and walked over to the residence while possessing items including a knife, zip ties, duct tape, mace, window punches, and a condom, documents stated.
He cut out a hole in the patio screen, and stayed there for about three to four hours watching and listening. Berenato went to bed, and that's when Thomas entered through the back sliding glass door, deputies said. This set off an alarm, however, giving Berenato, 29, and her house guest Amanda Saccomanno — better known as the WWE wrestler Mandy Rose — enough warning to escape.
"Mrs. Berenato, alerted, went to the door and saw the defendant in the residence with a knife in his hand and the pepper spray in his other hand," prosecutors wrote a motion to deny bail. "Both victims fled the residence. The defendant remained in the residence, as he believed that the two were upstairs hiding, and he was waiting for them to come downstairs. The defendant was located in the residence and taken into custody."
Thomas, who was a stranger to Berenato, was apparently obsessed with her and was infuriated that she did not respond to his messages online.
"Due to her online settings, messages from non friends are sent to a folder, and are generally not read by Mrs. Berenato," prosecutors wrote in a 2020 motion to hold Thomas without bail. "Research of this folder and others developed multiple messages from the defendant, up to 5 years, in which the defendant expressed his desire to meet with the victim, expressed his obsession with the defendant, of a progressively more threatening manner. The defendant had attempted to contact Mrs. Berenato on multiple social media platforms over the course of years and had become increasingly more agitated when the victim did not respond."
Thomas even threatened the Berenato's then-girlfriend, telling her she did not "deserve" the wrestler, according to documents in the case.
He was charged with armed burglary of a dwelling, attempted armed kidnapping, aggravated stalking with a weapon, and criminal mischief. Thomas reached the plea deal on April 17 and he was moved to the Florida Department of Corrections on April 25, but the development was only recently reported.
He also has to do 50 hours of community service after release from prison. He received 975 days credit for time served, so he is set for release on Aug. 12, 2035, records show.
