Former casino elected official who killed reporter after exposing scandal was sentenced to 28 years, 8 years more than the jury’s sentence

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Former Clark County official Robert Telles has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for the murder of renowned investigative journalist Jeff German. This sentence, handed down by a judge on October 16, surpassed the 20-year recommendation from the jury by eight years.

Telles, a former Democratic official, was found guilty by a jury on August 28 for the murder of German, who had reported on various scandals during Telles’ two-year tenure in office, including his alleged affair with a female staff member, which prosecutors argue led to Telles taking lethal action.

Judge Michelle Leavitt emphasized the severity of the crime, citing Telles’s use of a deadly weapon and the premeditated nature of the attack on a victim over 60 years old; German was 69 at the time of his death.

Prosecutor Steve Wolfson remarked that the 28-year sentence signals a commitment to justice within the community. “The judge could not impose a harsher sentence; she gave him the maximum allowed for the crime,” he stated.

During the trial, the 47-year-old Telles denied the charges, despite compelling evidence against him, including DNA found under German’s fingernails that matched Telles’s. Telles previously served as the head of the Clark County Office of Alternate Assets and Wills, a position elected by voters. His re-election bid failed following a series of unflattering reports in May and June 2022. He was arrested days after German’s murder and has remained in custody without bail.

Pamela Weckerly, the prosecutor overseeing the case, expressed that Telles killed German because he was unhappy with the negative coverage. “This type of violence, this political violence, is unacceptable for anyone and poses a danger to society as a whole,” she said.

Telles’s defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, requested a lighter sentence before the ruling and indicated that Telles intends to appeal. However, after the sentence was pronounced, Draskovich announced he would no longer represent Telles.

Upon leaving the courtroom, he commented, “This verdict wasn’t surprising. We fulfilled our duty to defend. Telles reserves his right to appeal.”