A St. Mary’s County jury has convicted a Mechanicsville man of beating a woman who was nine months pregnant, punching her in the face hard enough to break her nose and then kicking and punching her in the stomach in front of her two children, prosecutors said.
After a two-day trial, jurors found Jeffery Francis Pappaianni, 34, guilty of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and committing a crime of violence against a pregnant person, State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced Oct. 13. The jury also found that the acts were committed in the presence of minors, which allows the judge to add prison time at sentencing.
Pappaianni remains held without bond until sentencing. He faces up to 50 years in prison, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. A sentencing date was not announced.
Reported after the birth
According to prosecutors, the assault happened Feb. 22. It came to light March 16, when St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to a home in Mechanicsville for a separate reported incident and the victim told them about the earlier attack.
“In this case, the victim endured a brutal assault while nine months pregnant and did not report the incident until after she gave birth,” Sterling said in a statement. She credited the victim for contacting law enforcement and testifying at trial, and said no one “should have to fear for their safety in their own home.”
What the convictions carry
Under Maryland law, the charges carry these maximum penalties:
- First-degree assault: up to 25 years in prison.
- Second-degree assault: up to 10 years and a $2,500 fine.
- Crime of violence against a pregnant person: a separate felony created in 2019 by Laura and Reid’s Law, which adds time for knowingly attacking someone who is pregnant.
- Committing a crime of violence in the presence of a minor: up to five more years, served after the sentence for the underlying crime.
Convictions that arise from the same act can merge at sentencing, and the judge decides the final term within the limits the State’s Attorney’s Office put at 50 years.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Pettersen, chief of the office’s Domestic Violence Unit, and Assistant State’s Attorney Zachary Varda prosecuted the case. Cpl. Dianne Hersh of the Sheriff’s Office was the lead investigator. Judge Joseph Stanalonis presided.
The Domestic Violence Unit has taken other abuse cases to trial in recent years, including a 2024 conviction the Chronicle covered.
Where to get help
Anyone experiencing domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788, any time. In an emergency, call 911.
