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Man Pleads Guilty, Gets 10 Years In Peeping Tom Case

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) --  An Anne Arundel County man will spend 10 years in prison after being convicted of spying on his neighbors and taping them.

Mike Schuh has reaction to the sentence.

Charles Novak told police he has a sickness and it was getting worse.  Not only did he admit to videotaping women through their bedroom and bathroom windows as they undressed, in some cases he broke into their homes.

"It's mind-boggling," said Anne Arundel County assistant state's attorney Kathleen Rogers.  "He had all kinds of equipment that was just so sophisticated."

Police say his camcorder had images of Novak rummaging through the underwear of an underage neighbor girl, who was sleeping unaware.

It came out Wednesday in court that there were 260 victims, including his own mother.

Novak stole at least 27 pairs of bras and panties from the homes of his victims. 

One victim, Jessica Dunaway, was asked by police to identify naked images of herself on Novak's camera.

"I am still very upset," she said. 

When she was taped topless, her blinds were fully closed.

"He went through the smallest hole.  It's not someone walking down the street and looking through a window and moving on," she said.

Before issuing his sentence, the judge said it was mind-boggling what he'd go through to satisfy his own urges.  Then he sentenced him to the maximum, 47 years, all but 10 years suspended. Then he'll have five years probation and will have to register as a sex offender when he's released.

When released, if Novak violates his probation, he will serve an additional 10 years in jail.

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