Paynesville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexually Assaulting 2 Girls

(Learfield News/St. Cloud, MN) — A Paynesville man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the sexual assault of two girls.

Stearns County prosecutors say 42-year-old Matthew Steinemann was found guilty in March for the third-degree criminal sexual conduct of an 11-year-old and pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually assaulting another girl between 13 and 16 years old.

One of the victims said the sexual abuse happened in 2016, the other victim between 2019 and 2023.

Both victims told investigators Steinemann would sexually assault them in their rooms and give them alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes to stay quiet.