A state trooper could be spending the rest of his life behind bars after police say he raped two women-- and assaulted one of them.

"One could assume state troopers are going to do the right thing and you can trust them. In this case, that trust was probably badly, badly betrayed," says Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. Leyton is prosecuting the case after Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III recused himself.

The trooper-- 48-year-old Joe Donovan of DeWitt-- is a 21-year veteran of the state police. Leyton says Donovan met the victims at Cheetah's Nightclub in Lansing back in 2008.

He says Donovan gave the first victim a ride after work in March 2008, then raped her in his home. Leyton says the 28-year-old victim, who was a waitress at Cheetah's, then escaped after Donovan passed out, begged someone for a ride to Grand Ledge, went to her boyfriend's house, then went to Sparrow Hospital to report the rape.

About a month later, Leyton says Donovan was back at Cheetah's and met with a woman whose brother worked there. He caravaned with her to an apartment, where he raped her, assaulted her, then raped her again.

"Ninety-nine percent of officers are cream of the crop, the finest people walking the earth. But there's a bad apple in the bushel, and that's what's happened here," Leyton says.

We tried to speak to Donovan at his home Wednesday, but he drove away without comment. Donovan is well-known in his DeWitt neighborhood. Neighbors say they know him as nothing less than a hardworking dad. They say they're shocked by the allegations.

We also spoke to employees at Cheetah's about the charges. People there say Donovan's been in the club as recently as a few weeks ago. They say he's known for being a nice guy and giving girls rides home from work, though hasn't lately.

He was arraigned Wednesday in Lansing, where he was charged with 10 felony counts: six counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, three counts of CSC in the third, and one count of assault with intent to commit sexual penetraion.

He's free on bond Wednesday. He'll be back in court for his prelimary hearing Nov. 5.

Donovan's been on paid leave from the State Police since March 2008. He's now on unpaid suspension until the outcome of the court case is determined.