High tech peeper receives life sentence

A Gardnerville man received a sentence of up to life in prison for video-taping neighborhood girls in their bathroom.

Michael Joseph Donovan, 56, admitted to making videos of children, focusing on their crotches.

Donovan was arrested in June 2014 after being caught trying to set up a cellphone in a bathroom of a friend of more than 20 years in hopes of catching teenage women naked.

He was arrested on that charge and subsequent investigation turned up the movies.

Donovan originally denied the charges.

Victims and their families gave impact statements before Donovan received his 10-year-to-life sentence on Monday.

Donovan addressed the court wanting the victims to know he took responsibility for his actions and they were in no way at fault.

Deputy District Attorney Erik Levin explained why Donovan must spend life in prison.

“This is among the most serious, and troubling offenses in our books. It involves the most precious members of our society. It dehumanizes those people … It is a crime the victims and families will have to deal with for the rest of their lives,” Levin said.

Donovan was also fined $100,000 plus more than $3,500 in fees.

He will be supervised by Parole and Probation for the rest of his life as well as register as a sex offender.