Robert Telles, a former Las Vegas Democrat, was sentenced October 16, 2024 to 28 years in state prison for murdering Jeff German. German was an investigative journalist who wrote a piece which was critical of Telles’ actions and revealed an affair with a coworker. Telles worked as an administrator over a county probate office.
The Judge invoked two special statutes, one considering the weapon user for the crime and the other concerning he age of the victim, to add 8 years to his sentence. The 47-year-old Telles denied that he stabbed the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death in September 2022. However, there was overwhelming evidence, including DNA under his fingernails, which supported the verdict.
Pamela Weckerly, the prosecutor, told the judge said Telles murdred German because “he didn’t like what Mr. German had written about him. He felt that Mr. German had cost him an elected position. This type of violence, this sort of political violence, “is unacceptable and dangerous for a community as a whole.” She also missed the spurious claims that Telles was framed.
“The jury squarely and soundly rejected all of that,” Weckerly said. She labeled Telles’ excuses as ”hollow claims.” The disgraced democrat concocted an elaborate conspiracy where police, DNA analysts, a real estate company, and former workers came together to put him behind bars. He says that his real crime was rooting out corruption.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson explained that the judge sentenced him to the harshest possible sentence. He said, “The judge couldn’t sentence him to any more time, she gave him the maximum.” Wolfson also was necessary to protect the community, “This defendant has shown absolutely no remorse, no acceptance of responsibility, and in fact, his behavior is such that I believe he is an extreme danger to the community if he is ever released.”
Katherine Jacobsen, who works at the Committee to Protect Journalists, applauded the conviction. She said, “The sentencing of Robert Telles marks a significant milestone in the quest for justice. Although the jailing of Telles cannot undo Jeff German’s murder, it can act as an important deterrent to would-be assailants of journalists.”
Social media users at the time of his arrest were disturbed by the case. One journalist, David Phillips, wrote “I have written basically the same story about the same kind of corrupt county official. And for months I was looking over my shoulder for his goons. I weep for Jeff German. I hope the RJ will publish his last unfinished investigation.”
Another progressive commenter, set aside politics to condemn his actions. They wrote, “One of the rare stories. I don’t care that he’s a Democrat. Corruption is a disease and NO ONE is above the law. I hope he gets the justice he deserves!” Other comments echoed the same sentiment, ” As a Dem, this is wrong on every level & people like this deserve whatever law enforcement determines to be proper punishment. Journalists MUST BE FREE to do their jobs. IT IS A CORNERSTONE OF DEMOCRACY.”
Watch a clip of his sentencing here:
