LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Judges sentencing a person for a crime at a Las Vegas resort could have more penalties in their toolbox should a Republican state senator’s bill become law.
Introduced Monday, Senate Bill 371, from Republican State Sen. John Steinbeck, would create additional penalties for crimes at Nevada resort hotels with more than 200 rooms and a casino.
Under current Nevada law, judges can sentence a person to an enhancement in certain crimes. For example, a judge may impose a harsher sentence if the victim of a crime is 60 years or older or if the defendant used a deadly weapon to commit a crime.
In the case of Robert Telles, the ex-politician found guilty last year of murdering investigative reporter Jeff German, a judge added a minimum of eight years to his sentence because of the weapon and German’s age.
Should Steinbeck’s proposal become law, a judge could double a person’s sentence and require the additional time to be served consecutively. For example, right now based on state statute, if a person is found guilty of robbery on the Las Vegas Strip, they could face a sentence of anywhere from one to 20 years in prison. Under this proposal, a judge could sentence a person to 4-10 years with an additional 4-10 years because the crime happened at a resort.
The proposal did not have a hearing scheduled as of Monday.
Judges hearing cases involving arrests on the Las Vegas Strip can restrict a defendant’s access to the area while the case is pending. Las Vegas Justice Court implemented a Resort Corridor Court several years ago but closed the program in 2024.
