Man gets 10 years in Central Oregon shooting death

PRINEVILLE, Ore. – A Central Oregon man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of a man who sold him fake methamphetamine.

The Bulletin newspaper reported 26-year-old Michael Donovan of Prineville got a plea deal after the state’s primary witness, the victim’s girlfriend, made inconsistent statements and proved difficult to find.

Donovan was arrested after shooting James Scott on a rural road in September 2015.

Scott and his girlfriend had met Donovan at the Prineville 7-Eleven at 3 a.m. Donovan bought meth later found to be fake.

He went back to confront Scott and found him and his girlfriend pulled off on the side of a road. Donovan fired several times, killing Scott.

Donovan’s attorney said his client was reacting to a fake gun brandished by Scott’s girlfriend, and wasn’t trying to kill anyone.