A Sumrall man could conceivably spend the rest of his life behind bars after recently being convicted of three counts regarding sexual abuse of a child.
Hal Kittrell, who serves as district attorney for the 15th Circuit District – which covers Lamar, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Marion and Pearl River counties – said 43-year-old Michael Edward “Eddie” Sanford on May 14 was convicted of one count of touching a child for lustful purposes, one count of statutory rape and one count of sexual battery. Sanford’s conviction took place in Lamar County Circuit Court in Purvis before Judge Brad Touchstone.
Sanford is scheduled for sentencing on June 7 in Columbia. In total, the three charges carry a possible sentence of 75 years of incarceration in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, which would be served day-to-day without the possibility of parole.
If and when he is released, Sanford would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Kittrell said Sanford preyed upon and abused a minor child for approximately a year before Sanford left the home and the victim felt safe enough to report her abuser’s actions.
“Micheal ‘Eddie’ Sanford followed a common pattern of predatory behavior throughout the abuse of his victims,” Kittrell said in statement. What started with suggestive messages sent over a phone screen to test the waters, became physical and sexual abuse of a child. Sanford then turned his words into actions and manipulated a vulnerable child to satisfy his pedophilic tendencies.
“This conviction delivers justice to the victim and ensures that he will never again hurt a child. We appreciate the work of the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case.”
The case was tried by assistant district attorneys Carpenter S. Marsalis and Kim Harlin.
