A federal judge sentenced a former National Park Service ranger to three years' probation yesterday and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service for taking pictures up women's skirts at the USS Arizona Memorial.

Alexander R. Rivera, 33, was facing up to a year in jail for snapping photos using his cell phone as women were getting on and off the boat shuttle at the memorial last November.

U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang told Rivera, “;Your conduct was disturbing and troubling.”;

But he said he found Rivera did not need to go to jail in part because of his government service, that he cooperated after he was caught, that there is no evidence he transmitted the photos and that he sought out and completed mental health treatment. He said three years of probation is a lot tougher than a short jail stint.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Collins argued for some jail time because Rivera's actions harmed the image of Hawaii and the United States in the eyes of the people who visited the memorial and knew what Rivera had done.

The government charged Rivera with video voyeurism in April. He pleaded guilty in May.

Rivera had been a park ranger for eight years and had worked at the memorial since April 2008.