Steven Eastman convicted of raping a child between 11 and 14 years old

A Midland man who confessed to raping a girl for about three years and said he was raising her was sentenced Thursday to 30 to 47 1/2 years in prison for sexual abuse.

The deputy prosecutor said Midland County District Court Judge Michael Beale called Steven Eastman “disgusting” during sentencing and said it was one of the worst cases of abuse he had ever heard.

Eastman, 41, was convicted by a jury on Feb. 13 in Midland County Circuit Court of four counts of first-degree CSC on a person under 13, two counts of second-degree CSC and one count of third-degree CSC as the child was between 11 and 14 years old.

Eastman has 532 days of credit for time served.

Eastman confessed his crimes to Midland Police Department investigators and wrote a 17-page letter to the child’s mother justifying the rapes and saying he was trying to “teach” her and “educate her about predators.” He also took the girl to court.

“The victim was very strong and willing to face her abuser,” said Midland County Assistant Prosecutor Courtney Driscoll, who prosecuted the case. The child gave a victim impact statement while staring at his rapist.

Eastman’s crimes were punishable by 25 years in prison, and Beale imposed sentences beyond the guidelines. Eastman will serve 25 years before being eligible for parole. Driscoll agreed with the judge’s decision and said the girl was happy with it, too.

Eastman received 30 to 47 1/2 years for his first-degree crimes, eight to 15 years for third-degree CSC and seven years and two months to 15 years for second-degree CSC.

Driscoll said the girl was horribly abused. “He raped her multiple times,” Driscoll said, saying Eastman subjected the child to all types of sexual abuse.

Eastman has been in the Midland County Jail since his arrest by Midland police on December 1, 2022. A friend of the victim told school officials about the abuse and they alerted Child Protective Services.

Midland County Prosecutor J. Dee Brooks said the victim and her friend both acted heroically.

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