Boston Pizzeria Owner Sentenced to 8 Years for Forced Labor in Abuse Case Against Undocumented Workers
Owner of Stash’s Pizza Sentenced for Violent Exploitation and Forced Labor of Employees
A Boston-area pizzeria owner, Stavros Papantoniadis, has been sentenced to 102 months in prison for forced labor practices that subjected undocumented workers to physical violence, intimidation, and threats of deportation. Papantoniadis, 49, the owner of Stash’s Pizza, was convicted of exploiting six employees, using their undocumented status to control and force them into prolonged work hours under harsh conditions.
Court Sentences Papantoniadis and Issues a Hefty Fine
On Friday, the U.S. District Court handed down a sentence of eight years in prison, along with one year of supervised release and a $35,000 fine. This sentencing follows Papantoniadis’ conviction on three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor in June 2023. Prosecutors alleged that he maintained control over five men and one woman through physical abuse, threats of violence, and threats to report them to immigration authorities.
A Pattern of Abuse and Intimidation
According to court records, Papantoniadis exploited workers by understaffing his pizza shops and requiring employees to work up to 14-hour shifts, sometimes seven days a week. He deliberately hired undocumented workers whom he could intimidate and control, often monitoring their actions through surveillance cameras. Prosecutors detailed incidents where Papantoniadis choked a worker who attempted to quit and pursued another employee down Route 1 in Norwood, even involving local police to pressure the worker into returning to his job.
Defense Seeks Appeal Amid Sentencing Critique
Papantoniadis’ lawyer, Carmine Lepore, expressed disappointment with the sentence length, asserting that the guidelines used were excessively harsh, typically reserved for cases involving human trafficking or sexual servitude. Lepore confirmed they plan to seek a new trial and appeal the conviction, arguing that the sentence does not match the specifics of the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Condemns Labor Trafficking for Profit
Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy emphasized the predatory nature of labor trafficking and the financial motivations driving it. “Labor trafficking exploits the vulnerable through fear and intimidation, all in pursuit of the almighty buck. That is what Stavros Papantoniadis did when he violated the rights of the people working in his restaurants,” Levy stated. He condemned Papantoniadis for weaponizing his workers’ undocumented status against them, using threats of deportation and violence to keep them under his control.
This case has cast a spotlight on labor exploitation practices within the restaurant industry, particularly among businesses that target undocumented workers. The federal court’s strong sentencing sends a clear message against the abuse of vulnerable workers and the use of intimidation for profit in the labor sector.