A former Las Vegas-area politician is facing a minimum of 20 years in prison after being convicted of killing an investigative journalist who had written critical articles about his conduct while in office. Robert Telles, a Democratic ex-politician, is set to be sentenced in Nevada state prison for the murder of Jeff German, a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Telles was found guilty by a jury in August for ambushing and killing German outside his home over Labor Day weekend in 2022.
The jury determined Telles’ sentence to be 20 years to life, with the possibility of additional years added due to sentencing enhancements. These enhancements could increase the minimum sentence to up to 28 years before Telles, 47, would be eligible for parole. German, aged 69, had been a journalist covering crime, courts, and corruption in Las Vegas for 44 years. Telles was the elected administrator of a Clark County office dealing with unclaimed estate and probate property cases at the time of the murder.
German’s articles in May and June 2022 exposed turmoil and bullying within the Clark County Public Administrator/Guardian office, as well as a romantic relationship between Telles and a female coworker. Following German’s reports, Telles lost his bid for re-election and had his law license suspended after his arrest. Evidence presented during the trial included Telles’ DNA found under German’s fingernails and security footage showing a person resembling Telles near the crime scene wearing distinctive clothing.
During his trial, Telles denied the murder accusation, claiming he was framed as part of a conspiracy. However, prosecutors argued that Telles held a grudge against German, blaming him for damaging his career and personal life. Despite Telles’ lengthy testimony professing his innocence, the jury ultimately found him guilty after deliberating for nearly 12 hours over three days.
The sentencing hearing included emotional testimonies from German’s family members and pleas for leniency from Telles’ relatives. The judge has the authority to add up to eight years to Telles’ sentence based on aggravating factors such as the use of a deadly weapon, the age of the victim, and the premeditated nature of the crime. German’s tragic death marked the only journalist killing in the U.S. in 2022, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Katherine Jacobsen from the committee emphasised the importance of Telles’ conviction in sending a message against violence towards journalists. Telles’ lawyer has indicated plans to appeal the conviction, despite the strong evidence presented during the trial. The case underscores the dangers journalists can face in their pursuit of truth and accountability in society.