Massachusetts Faces Lawsuit Over Business License Approval
A Massachusetts woman has filed a federal lawsuit against the town of Hopkinton, alleging that local officials negligently allowed a criminal immigrant with a history of sexual violence to renew a business license, which she says led to her sexual assault as a minor. The lawsuit was transferred to federal court on January 5, 2026, and names the town, its police chief, and a former business owner connected to the case.
The complaint centers on Petros “Peter” Sismanis, a Greek national who allegedly operated a local business — Hillers Pizza — and was convicted in June 2025 of indecent assault, battery, and witness intimidation related to the 2023 sexual assault of the plaintiff, who was 16 years old at the time. Sismanis was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to register as a sex offender; he now remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending deportation proceedings.
The lawsuit also notes a much earlier allegation from 1998, when Sismanis was accused of rape, indecent assault, and battery involving female minors — conduct that led to his registration as a sex offender. Despite this history, Hopkinton officials — including the police chief and licensing board — approved the renewal of the business’s license in 2016 without apparently flagging or acting on his criminal record, the complaint alleges.
The plaintiff — now 19 years old — claims that the town’s approval and oversight failures created a sexually hostile work environment that contributed to the assault. The lawsuit asserts that town officials knew, or should have known, about Sismanis’s criminal background when renewing Hillers Pizza’s license and that their actions put employees — including minors — at risk. It’s not just Hopkinton police, the complaint says, but “multiple town departments” that are being held responsible for approving and renewing the license without thorough vetting.
NBC Boston reporting cited in the complaint says that Sismanis had allegedly assaulted two employees earlier while running a donut shop in the same town. Yet there’s no indication that Hopkinton’s leadership ever questioned his fitness to operate a business, even after repeated employee complaints and documented incidents.
The plaintiff is seeking $1 million in damages from the town, arguing that the officials’ negligence contributed to her harm. The suit claims Hopkinton’s negligent conduct — from licensing lapses to insufficient oversight — was a proximate cause of both the hostile work environment and the subsequent assault.
Hopkinton officials, represented by attorney Douglas Louison, have responded that they acted “appropriately and constitutionally under the circumstances presented and known to them at the time.” Their defense asserts that the licensing and police review processes complied with applicable laws and procedures.
The case highlights a complex intersection of local licensing authority, public safety, and the responsibility of municipalities to vet business operators’ backgrounds, especially when those operators have serious prior convictions. It also underscores broader debates over how towns should balance economic activity and community safety — especially when past criminal histories involve sexual violence or offenses against minors.
As the lawsuit proceeds in federal court, it could prompt tighter controls on how municipalities handle background checks for business licenses and influence legal standards for liability when local governments fail to act on past criminal records.
📌 Why This Matters
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Alleged negligence by town officials: Hopkinton’s failure to flag or act on the licensee’s criminal history may have contributed to a minor’s sexual assault.
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Public safety concerns: The lawsuit raises questions about municipal licensing safeguards and when towns must consider criminal histories in approvals.
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Impacts on minors: The plaintiff was 16 at the time of the assault, highlighting serious child protection issues.
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Legal liability of towns: If successful, the case could expand how towns are held accountable for negligent licensing.
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Immigration enforcement context: The defendant is in ICE custody and facing deportation, adding federal immigration oversight to local licensing disputes.
⚖️ Key Legal Outcomes
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Federal lawsuit filed: The case was transferred to federal court on January 5, 2026.
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Plaintiff seeks $1 million in damages for alleged negligence.
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The complaint names town officials and police leadership in addition to the business operator.
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Defendant Sismanis is a registered sex offender now in ICE custody pending deportation.
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Hopkinton officials claim they acted lawfully based on what was known at the time.
