Negligence in Licensing: Lawsuit Against Hopkinton Officials Over Assault by Criminal Immigrant at Hillers Pizza
A woman from Massachusetts has filed a lawsuit against the town of Hopkinton, claiming that officials negligently allowed a criminal immigrant with a history of workplace sexual violence to operate a business where he later assaulted her when she was 16 years old. The lawsuit, now in federal court, names Petros "Peter" Sismanis, a Greek national in ICE custody, who was convicted of sexually assaulting the plaintiff in 2023 while she worked at Hillers Pizza. Sismanis had a prior history of sexual offenses involving female minors and was a registered sex offender.
The plaintiff alleges that Hopkinton officials, the police chief, and Hillers Pizza contributed to a sexually hostile work environment by approving Sismanis to operate the pizza shop despite his criminal history. The plaintiff is seeking $1 million in damages for the assault she experienced at the hands of Sismanis. The lawsuit claims that despite Sismanis' past record, the town approved the license renewal for Hillers Pizza, putting female minors at risk.
An attorney representing Hopkinton officials stated that the town acted appropriately when renewing the license, despite the circumstances of the assault. The plaintiff accused Sismanis of luring her into the pizza shop's basement and sexually assaulting her against her will when she was only 16 years old. Sismanis was convicted of indecent assault, battery, and witness intimidation, sentenced to jail, and ordered to register as a sex offender.
Prior to the 2023 assault, Hopkinton police had received complaints from female employees about Sismanis' behavior at his business. Sismanis had a history of sexual offenses, including charges of rape, indecent assault, and battery on individuals older than 14. He had previously sexually assaulted employees while running a donut shop in Hopkinton. Sismanis' guilty plea to indecent assault and battery required him to register as a Level 2 sex offender.
The lawsuit highlights the failure of town officials to address Sismanis' criminal history and the risks he posed to employees and the community. Despite the plaintiff's traumatic experience, the town and police maintain that they acted appropriately based on the information available to them at the time. The case sheds light on the importance of thorough background checks and due diligence in licensing processes to protect individuals from potential harm.