Trackergate Exposed: Why Reno Mayor’s Tracker Lawsuit Could Backfire Big Time

Imagine discovering a tracking device on your car. Unsettling, right? Now imagine you’re a public official like Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, and it turns out no laws were broken, no stalking occurred, and the person behind it was a respected 26-year law enforcement veteran turned licensed private investigator. That’s the crux of the “Trackergate” saga, a case that’s gripped Nevada and raised big questions about privacy, power, and accountability. But as details emerge from a Sparks Police Department interview video recently highlighted by The 775 Times, the narrative starts to shift: Is Schieve the prey here, or could she and former Washoe County Commissioner Vaughn Hartung be the ones with something to hide?

Let’s start with the facts from that eye-opening video. In the footage, Sparks PD detectives sit down with Schieve after a mechanic found a GPS tracker on her vehicle back in 2022. They explain clearly: No crime was committed. There was no evidence of stalking. The investigator, David McNeely of 5 Alpha Industries, is a “highly regarded” professional with over two decades in law enforcement. He placed the device as part of a legitimate inquiry, and at the time, it was perfectly legal under Nevada law. (You can watch the full 40-minute interview here or a shorter clip on Instagram here.) Yet, Schieve pushed hard to make the story public, positioning herself as a victim of some shadowy plot. And in a move that reeks of political flexing, she later influenced legislation to ban such tracking by licensed PIs, something you or I couldn’t pull off overnight.

Here’s the irony: We’re all being tracked every day, whether we like it or not. Your smartphone pings your location to apps and companies constantly, data that’s often sold or subpoenaed without a second thought. Modern cars log your every turn, and cell providers hand over records with a court order. Even everyday folks can buy cellphone tracking data online. But when a licensed professional like McNeely does it responsibly, ensuring the information isn’t misused or shared recklessly, it’s suddenly a scandal? Experts point out that attorneys and firms routinely hired PIs who used trackers as a standard tool, until this case changed the rules. If Schieve’s legal team has ever done the same, it adds a layer of hypocrisy to the mix.

Enter “John Doe,” the anonymous citizen whose identity is set to be revealed shortly after exhausting appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Doe isn’t some rogue operator, he’s a concerned Nevadan who says he was tipped off by dozens of people with “horrific” allegations against Schieve and Hartung, claims involving potential corruption, backroom deals with developers and casinos, and actions that could lead to serious consequences if proven. Instead of rushing to blast these unverified stories on social media or in the press, Doe did what many would call the responsible thing: He hired a pro like McNeely to investigate quietly and fact-check. As Doe told The 775 Times: “It’s simple: I did the responsible thing and hired a licensed private investigator to look into horrendous allegations about Schieve and Hartung rather than simply posting the testimonies of witnesses against the two public officials. I took no part in the investigator’s methodologies used to investigate. Even still, he broke no laws using his chosen methods. It appears now the world will get to hear from the witnesses themselves the horrific allegations against these two local public figures and only through the discovery process will the veracity of the allegations be uncovered.”

No laws broken, no damages claimed, yet Schieve and Hartung pressed forward with a civil suit for privacy invasion, pulling in the courts to unmask Doe. Many are scratching their heads: What’s the real play here? In a state like Nevada, where whispers of public corruption often go unchecked by mainstream media, someone has to step up. Doe argues he was that someone, acting cautiously to avoid slander while seeking the truth. If the regular press won’t dig into these stories, shouldn’t citizens have the right to do so responsibly?

As Doe’s name drops this week, the real fireworks might begin. Court documents show the case moving to discovery and depositions, where witnesses could finally spill their stories. What if those allegations hold water? Schieve and Hartung might find the spotlight turning on them, exposing potential misdeeds that make their “victim” narrative crumble. After all, in pushing this suit, they’ve opened a Pandora’s box that could reveal far more than a simple tracker ever did. Will we see a role reversal, with the so-called prey exposed as predators? Stay tuned, Nevada’s political landscape might never be the same, and one thing’s clear: Doe might just come out looking like the hero who tried to do right in a world full of shadows.

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