Cape Cod Businessman Guilty On Rape Charge, Other Charges Pending

BARNSTABLE, MA — A Barnstable man and local business owner was found guilty of rape after a jury trial

Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that Peter Eastman, 59, of Barnstable, was found guilty on a rape charge after a jury trial in the Barnstable Superior Court.

On Sept. 9, 2023, a woman walked into the Barnstable Police Department to report a past sexual assault. The victim reported that Eastman, an acquaintance of hers, had raped her at Howard Boats in Barnstable on Sept. 4, 2023.

After a four-day trial, and three hours of deliberation, a Barnstable County jury convicted Eastman.

Eastman was taken into custody and held without bail pending his sentencing, scheduled for May 15.

As a result of the conviction, Eastman will be required by the state to register as a sex offender. He has additional cases pending in both the Barnstable Superior Court and District Courts, which are also scheduled to be addressed on May 15 and June 16, respectively.

Those pending charges include assault with a dangerous weapon, violation of an abuse prevention order, threatening to commit a crime and five counts of possessing a large capacity firearm.

The pending cases have a different victim than the case Eastman was just convicted of.