(KIWA) — A rural Sanborn man faces 17 misdemeanor charges after authorities say he repeatedly trespassed onto a neighboring property to install and retrieve a hidden camera from the victims’ bedroom.
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office says 69-year-old Donald Gene Mastbergen was arrested Monday, July 13, following an investigation that began last month.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Mastbergen’s home on June 19 and seized computers, a cellphone and digital storage devices. Investigators later received another warrant allowing them to search the contents of those devices.
The sheriff’s office says digital evidence and an interview with Mastbergen led investigators to believe he used technology to obtain images of the victims in various states of nudity inside their home, where they had a high expectation of privacy.
O’Brien County Sheriff Bruce Devereaux says investigators came to believe the allegations involved more than one incident. Authorities accuse Mastbergen of entering the victims’ property at least 12 times to place a covert camera in their bedroom and later retrieve it to view the recordings.
Mastbergen is charged with 12 counts related to the use of a camera or electronic surveillance device while trespassing and five counts of invasion of privacy involving nudity.
While each charge is a misdemeanor, the sheriff’s office says Mastbergen could face a combined sentence of up to 34 years if convicted on all 17 counts and ordered to serve the sentences consecutively.
After arrest warrants were issued, Mastbergen turned himself in at the O’Brien County Jail in Primghar. He posted a $10,000 cash bond and was released.
His initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21.
Mastbergen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
