A Massachusetts pizza store proprietor was discovered responsible on Friday of compelled labor fees after prosecutors say he bodily abused and threatened to report six undocumented staff to immigration authorities.
Stavros “Steve” Papantoniadis, 48, is the proprietor of Boston pizza chain Stash’s Pizza. He was convicted of three counts of compelled labor and three counts of tried compelled labor, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace in Massachusetts introduced.
Papantoniadis’ was initially arrested in March of final 12 months, following studies that he had been concentrating on undocumented staff for roughly 14 years, NBC affiliate WBTS reported on the time.
After Papantoniadis was arrested, a person at one Stash’s location who recognized himself because the co-owner advised WTBS, “Every thing isn’t true. It’s all pretend, and it’ll be resolved in court docket.”
Proof cited within the trial revealed that Papantoniadis purposely employed staff with out authorized immigration standing and compelled them to work 14-hour days for as many as seven days per week, federal prosecutors stated within the announcement.
In keeping with Boston.com, Papantoniadis was investigated by the labor division in 2017, and in the course of the investigation authorities discovered proof that he “tried to intimidate not less than one witness.”
“Stavros Papantoniadis instilled concern in his staff. He underpaid and threatened them, some with concern of arrest and plenty of with bodily abuse,” Michael J. Krol, Particular Agent, stated in Friday’s announcement.
Prosecutors stated Papantoniadis would “keep management” over some undocumented staff by making them consider he would bodily hurt them or have them deported, in accordance with the announcement. Others had been bodily abused at work.
In a single occasion cited by prosecutors, Papantoniadis “violently choked” a employee after studying of his intentions to stop the restaurant. One other employee who tried to stop and flee the pizza store was additionally chased down by Papantoniadis, who made a false police report back to stress him to return.
In keeping with court docket paperwork cited by WBTS, one sufferer who labored at Stash’s Pizza from 2001 to 2015 endured a number of situations of bodily abuse by Papantoniadis, who made derogatory feedback about his Muslim faith.
Prosecutors stated that worker was pushed to the ground and kicked within the genitals, and that Papantoniadis threatened to kill him if he sought medical remedy or didn’t return to work, in accordance with WBTS. That worker additionally had his enamel damaged in the course of the abuse, inflicting him to want dentures.
Papantoniadis is now going through as much as 20 years for every cost of pressure labor and tried pressure labor, as nicely a $250,000 wonderful. His sentencing is ready for Sept. 12.
“Mr. Papantoniadis preyed on the desperation of these with out immigration standing, subjecting them to violence and threats of deportation,” U.S. Legal professional Joshua S. Levy stated within the announcement. “Pressured labor is a critical violation of human rights, and nobody in the USA ought to stay in concern of abuse and coercion of their office.”