How Could You? Hall of Shame-Earl and Tammy Steidl

By on 5-25-2011 in Abuse in adoption, Earl Steidl, How could you? Hall of Shame, Ohio, Tammy Steidl

How Could You? Hall of Shame-Earl and Tammy Steidl

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.


From Medina County, Ohio, convicted adoptive parent Earl Steidl appealed his felony child sexual abuse conviction against his then-8-year-old adopted daughter. The incidents occurred in 2003. Tammy pled no contest to 6 misdemeanor charges. Her sentence was 4 month probation and a $1600 fine.

The May 16, 2011 decision and journal entry can be found here.

“Earl Steidl sexually abused his adopted daughter. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, two counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of tampering with evidence. The trial court sentenced him to the maximum prison term for each conviction and ordered the terms for the rape and gross sexual imposition convictions to run consecutively to each other and concurrently with his tampering with evidence conviction for a total of 20 years imprisonment.

We affirm the judgment of the trial court as it did not err by sentencing Mr. Steidl to the maximum period of incarceration for each offense, by ordering some of the prison terms to be served consecutively, or by reading letters sent by Mr. Steidl’s siblings to the court.”

 

Background{¶2}
Mr. Steidl was indicted on one count of rape of a child under the age of ten, two counts of gross sexual imposition of a child under the age of thirteen, and one count of tampering with evidence. At the time Mr. Steidl allegedly committed the acts with which he was charged,
Section 2907.02(B) of the Ohio Revised Code imposed a life sentence for rape of a child under the age of ten. Plea negotiations led to count one of the indictment being altered to charge one count of rape of a child under the age of thirteen, which eliminated the requirement for a life sentence. He then pleaded guilty to all four counts.
{¶3} At sentencing, the trial court discussed its view that Mr. Steidl had harmed the very idea of family. During its discussion of his crimes, it mentioned that it had received letters from his brother and sister and that, “despite [his] act, and admitted act, [they were] willing to stand up for [him].” It stated that the letters were examples of the trust and support inherent in family, which Mr. Steidl had violated. It then sentenced him to the maximum prison term for each count and ordered the counts of rape and gross sexual imposition be served consecutively to each other.
{¶4}Mr. Steidl appealed, and this Court vacated his sentence due to an error in the imposition of post-release control.
State v. Steidl, 9th Dist. No. 09CA0010-M, 2009-Ohio-5053,at ¶7, 9. The trial court held a new sentencing hearing and imposed the same sentence.”

The September 28, 2009 decision and journal entry can be found here.

PoundPup Legacy has the other articles about Earl here. One older article states, “Steidl weighs more than 700 pounds, which made it difficult for sheriff’s deputies to transport him to the courtroom, located on the second floor of the Medina County Courthouse.”

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