Pizza Shop Owner Sentenced to Over Eight Years for Threatening Employees with Deportation

A Massachusetts pizzeria owner has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for using violence and threats against employees without legal status. Stavros Papantoniadis, 49, who owns Stash's Pizza, was sentenced in federal court to 102 months in prison, a year of supervised release, and fined USD 35,000. He forced six workers to endure harsh conditions through violence and threats of deportation.

Papantoniadis was convicted in June of three counts each of forced labour and attempted forced labour. Since his arrest in March 2023, he has remained in custody. His lawyer, Carmine Lepore, expressed disappointment with the sentence length, stating it was more suited for severe crimes like human trafficking. "Although the judge saw fit to sentence him slightly beneath the guidelines, we are disappointed in the length of the sentence," Lepore said.

Labour Exploitation and Intimidation

Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy highlighted Papantoniadis' greed-driven exploitation. "Labour 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. Papantoniadis hired undocumented workers and used their immigration status against them.

The pizzeria owner staffed his shops minimally, employing undocumented workers for long hours—up to 14 hours daily, seven days a week. He controlled these workers by threatening physical harm or deportation and monitored them with surveillance cameras. When one worker planned to quit, Papantoniadis choked him, forcing him to flee.

Attempts to Retain Control

In another incident, when a worker tried to leave one of his pizza shops, Papantoniadis chased him down Route 1 in Norwood, Massachusetts. He falsely reported this worker to local police to coerce him into returning to work. These actions were part of a pattern of intimidation used by Papantoniadis to maintain control over his employees.

Papantoniadis' case underscores the severe consequences of exploiting vulnerable workers through fear and intimidation. His sentencing reflects the seriousness of his actions and serves as a warning against such exploitative practices.