HopNews
HOPKINTON: Residents of Hopkinton picketing Hiller’s Pizza in response to the owner’s guilty verdict on June 13.
Signs read:
- “HONK if you HATE SEXUAL PREDATORS”
- “SEXUAL PREDATORS DON’T DESERVE OUR DOUGH! BOYCOTT HILLERS PIZZA”
- “KEEP KIDS SAFE, GET RID OF SEXUAL PREDATORS, PERIOD. NO HILLER’S PIZZA”
On June 13, 2025, Hiller’s Pizza owner, Petros “Peter” Sismanis, was convicted by a jury in Framingham District Court. The charges included indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years old and two counts of witness intimidation.
The judgment came after a two-day trial in Framingham District Court. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before returning its verdict. The victim was a then-16-year-old employee at his business.
What Happened
Sismanis, according to testimony, escorted the teenager to a basement supply closet. The closet was put out of sight of security cameras in the building. He then put his arm around her waist and kissed her on the mouth without her consent. The victim testified that Sismanis told her not to tell anyone about the incident.
The witness intimidation allegations pertained to Sismanis’ actions following the reported assault. When the victim’s mother arrived to pick up her daughter, Sismanis repeatedly blocked their vehicle from leaving the parking lot. He pleaded with them not to contact the police and asked if they could “make a deal” instead. The mother eventually called the Hopkinton Police, who responded and directed her to the police station.
Prosecution
During the trial, both the victim and her mother took the stand, describing the events of that night. The prosecution presented security camera footage from various locations in and around the restaurant as evidence. However, they had no video of the incident inside the supply closet. Prosecutors described the closet as a small but effective sex chamber.
Defense
The defense maintained that the accuser willingly participated in the encounter and asserted that the intimidation charges represented an overreach. The defense argued that, under Massachusetts law, the accuser was old enough to consent. The defense further questioned the motive of the accuser’s mother, who had also filed a civil lawsuit against Sismanis.
Judgement
The court sentenced Sismanis to 2½ years in prison, ordering him to serve six months and suspending the remainder. He must also complete three years of probation and register as a sex offender in Massachusetts. He will concurrently serve the probation terms for the witness intimidation charges.
The case has generated a lot of buzz around town because of the type of charges. It also drew attention for how quickly the trial ended.
Wow. This is such bad behavior. On all sides.
Please explain?
Nancy McBride, it saddens me to think that you feel the 16 year old victim has bad behavior for holding the man that sexually assaulted her accountable financially or judiciously. So many women have suffered in silence. I’m grateful people have the courage to bring it to the public’s attention.
Not the victim. The two women (neither residents) spending a week protesting a business that has been legally punished. They have no legal grounds to destroy his business. Go fight for victims rights. Go teach a self defense class. Go share your own stories of abuse. Do something helpful. Go protest the convicted felon that is running our country. Who are they to judge the wife and daughters of this hideous man?
You have to pay for your actions. I think mom may have not dealt with it properly but she did what she thought was right. Always call for law enforcement when your children are in trouble. Unless of course you are willing to end a individual’s life without consequences
Time for Paul Mastriani, the owner of the building that houses Hillers Pizza, to stop defending Peter and give him the boot. The lite sentence given to a man who is a repeat offender sends a very sad message to the young women of this town.
No need to mention the owner of the property that has nothing to do with it.
Couldn’t he have stopped renting to him the first time he was found guilty? Then the second wouldn’t have happened. Why is the property owner trying to get rid of the picketers? He absolutely has something to do with it. He needs to get him out of town.
The mother did call the police.
This man has finally been charged and convicted thanks to the strength of this mother and daughter.
Beth, don’t you think that’s a bit of over reach? The property owner has zero control over the actions of his or her tenants. Pretty sure no clause exists in any leasing agreement that deals with sexual assault. Would you then agree that Bank of America immediately foreclose on all mortgages held by a convicted criminal.
Craig when Paul Mastriani came out to speak to the picketers, allegedly he down played the sexual assault as just ‘a kiss w no tongue.’ You, being a retired police officer, know better. It’s a matter of respect for the town and the people in it. Peter’s not going to change. Makes me wonder how many girls stayed silent. Bank of America is not ‘housing’ an SA guy. Paul is and has a choice.
A the mother is trying to get $$ out of this. That’s sad that the mother is trying to fatten her purse . Shame on Mom .
Maybe she’s just trying to break him financially? Not just fatten her wallet…
I believe they tried to settle out of court. That didn’t work out so they went to court. Literally took the jury 1/2 hr to find him guilty. I would imagine that he should be paying for so type of therapy for his victim though right?
Gee, maybe it’s for the victim, for therapy, college or just to put away in savings, which she fully deserves for having to deal with that scumbag.
Does this take away from the fact that Peter is a repeat offender? Are you okay with his sentence of 6 months? It literally sounds like you are on the side of a perpetrator. The girls/women in this town deserve better.
Even in paper it says they were trying to get money. From the start. Probably for their horses.
I wish you had to give your actual name to make comments…
Like if you don’t have the guts to say it and own it then maybe just be quiet
Mom of 2 girls, if that was your daughter you’d do the same thing. Civil penalties exist to compensate for injuries both physically and emotionally from bad acts. I’m pretty sure the victim has suffered significant scarring from this incident.
What a privileged brunch of Karens.
This sort of action is the type of thing that gives actual civil disturbance a bad name.
Crazy behavior from these women. Yelling at people on the streets isnt “peaceful protest”! Dont see a need to tear down a whole business where the cooks and cashiers will lose their jobs for no reason just because this family didnt get what they wanted (which was cash). Like youve done enough damage, plus whether it happened or not, the dudes in jail. Hes doing his time. Give it up. Go Do some actual social justice for girls who get molested and raped, not a peck on the mouth. Maybe then what youre doing will mean something.
This shows you complete ignorance to the time line of his rapes/sexual assaults. You do know he was convicted TWICE right? This girls mother ‘needs’ nothing from them. Should he pay for this young girls years of therapy- you bet your bum he does. His family has known of his ‘incidents’ since 1994 so no I don’t feel bad for them at all. I will take the victim’s side every time.