I have been a writer, investigative reporter, and editor for more than three decades. Currently, I manage the investigative unit as an Investigation Editor at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where I have worked since 2016.
In Vegas, I broke stories about waste and corruption at the county’s tourism and visitors’ authority that led to criminal charges against top officials. An investigation of the state Dental Board resulted in the top two officials being fired. Stories on an elected constable using county money to gamble led to his indictment and a plea. And a series on police misconduct exposed officers who were kept on the job and were even promoted despite repeated, sustained internal affairs complaints.
I previously worked at the Denver Post, KMGH-TV, The Des Moines Register, and Watchdog.org. Stories there resulted in changes in state law and indictments of corrupt officials. My work has garnered two duPont-Columbia awards, a Peabody, a national Emmy, two SPJ Sigma Delta Chi honors as well as numerous state and regional awards. The Nevada Press Association named me Nevada's Outstanding Reporter of the Year in 2020 and 2022.
In 2022, I worked closely with Jeff German when he was slain outside his Las Vegas house. German had written a series of stories on the public administrator’s office, and Public Administrator Robert Telles was soon arrested for his murder. The whole remaining investigative team and I jumped on the story, exposing Telles’ history of inappropriate and abusive conduct, additional potential corruption, and failures by the county to protect his employees.
Having been friends with Jeff since I started at the RJ, I decided his life and death were an important topic worthy of a book. The story shows the increasing dangers of journalists as well as the power of local newspapers to force positive changes in the community and government.
When I’m not at my keyboard, I enjoy mountain biking, playing poker, attending concerts with friends, collecting rock memorabilia, traveling, and hiking with any dogs we may have rescued. My wife and I live in Henderson.