HYANNIS – Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that on April 30, 2025, 59-year-old Peter Eastman of Barnstable, was found guilty on a rape charge after a jury trial in the Barnstable Superior Court.
On September 9, 2023, a woman walked into the Barnstable police department to report a past sexual assault. The victim reported that the defendant Peter Eastman, an acquaintance of hers, had raped her at Howard Boats in Barnstable on September 4th, 2023.
After a 4-day trial and 3 hours of deliberations a Barnstable County jury convicted the defendant Mr. Eastman with a guilty verdict on the charge of rape.
The investigation was conducted by the Barnstable Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney, Chief of Domestic Violence Alexandra Isaacs and Victim Witness Assistant Caitlin Carroll. District Attorney Galibois would like to express his gratitude to the investigative efforts by the Barnstable Police Department and the victim for her courage and integrity in testifying during the trial. Coming forward to testify in a criminal case is never easy. Her testimony was critical in ensuring that justice was served.
Mr. Eastman was taken into custody and held without bail pending his sentencing. Mr. Eastman will appear in the Barnstable Superior Court on May 15, 2025, for sentencing. As a result of the conviction on the rape charge Mr. Eastman will be required by the state of MA to register as a sex offender. Mr. Eastman has additional cases pending in both the Barnstable Superior Court and District Courts which are also scheduled to be addressed on May 15, 2025, and June 16, 2025. The charges that remain pending against Mr. Eastman in the Superior Court are: 3 counts of assault w/dangerous weapon +60, Violate Abuse Prevention Order, Threat to Commit a Crime, and 5 counts of Possess Large Capacity Firearm. In the District Court one count of a Violation of a Restraining Order. The pending cases have a different victim then the case that Mr. Eastman was just convicted. The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office will not be making any additional comments regarding the pending charges relating to Mr. Eastman at this time.
The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office reiterates that Mr. Eastman in presumed innocent on his remaining charges.
