A Placer County man will spend the next 75 years of his life, if he lives that long, behind bars for molesting a 6-year-old girl.

On Friday, Donald Bruce Vechik was sentenced to 75 years to life after a jury convicted him May 15 on one count of forcible lewd acts on a child, and three additional counts of a lewd act upon a child.

The 59-year-old man chose not to speak during his sentencing.

During his May trial, prosecutors Jeff Wood and Jennifer Miszkewycz presented evidence that Vechik took advantage of a 6-year-old girl after he befriended her and her mother in Cisco Grove in 2008.

Vechik was neighbors with the victim and mother. When he offered to watch the victim and take her to school, school officials decided to check Vechik’s background.

They discovered Vechik was a registered sex offender for an August 1997 conviction for molesting his daughter.

Child Protective Services was contacted and an investigation revealed that the 6-year-old had been inappropriately touched.

“It’s a good example of how Megan’s Law works,” Judge Mark Curry said during Vechik’s sentencing.

Defense attorney Michael Skanga said his client continues to deny any guilt.

“Mr. Vechik throughout this case and investigation and since the day I first met him has vehemently denied his guilt in this case,” Skanga said in court. “He believes there were errors in this trial.”

During the trial, the defense highlighted inconsistencies with the 6-year-old victim’s testimony.

However, Curry said he found the girl’s testimony “credible” and called Vechik a “threat to society.”

“In many ways the defendant is simply a predator because he can’t stop himself from molesting children,” Curry said.

Miszkewycz said she had spoken to the victim’s social worker and informed the court that the now 7-year-old girl was doing “quite well” in the care of her new foster family.

She said the victim was not comfortable speaking at Friday’s sentencing.

“It’s very clear this has had a very significant impact on her and will likely cause significant harm in the future,” Miszkewycz said. “This little girl has been quite traumatized.”

Wood asked the court to impose an 84-year-to-life sentence.

In the end, Curry handed down the 75-year-to-life sentence and imposed a $10,000 restitution fine. Vechik will be ordered to pay an additional $10,000 if, when released on parole, he violates parole.

Outside of the courtroom, Skanga said Vechik plans to appeal his conviction.

Wood said Vechik received an “appropriate” sentence.

“It’s an appropriate sentence based on the conduct and history of the defendant,” Wood said.

The Journal’s Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.