‘Utter and devastating danger:’ Bail stays at $1M for teen accused of terrorism
Bail will remain at $1 million for a teen accused of having ISIS execution videos on his phone and plotting terrorism attacks, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Joshua Robles, 17, was indicted by a Clark County grand jury on terrorism and incendiary device charges last month. He has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors have accused him of plotting to target Gov. Joe Lombardo and President Joe Biden, collecting pipe bomb components, having bomb-making instructions and ISIS execution videos on his phone and claiming to be a member of the Islamic militant organization.
“I take no pleasure in warehousing children, but this is a child who is an utter and devastating danger to everyone in the Las Vegas valley and even probably further on,” District Judge Erika Ballou said before denying a motion filed by Robles’ attorney to reset his bail to $10,000.
Chief Deputy Public Defender Dan Cho argued that Robles was entitled to a reasonable and individualized bail.
The allegations were serious, but “have been overcharged,” he said.
Cho said Robles has no prior juvenile criminal history and has strong family support. He asked for $10,000 bail with release conditions including no computer access, requests Cho also made in a motion filed before the hearing.
Prosecutors wanted the defense motion to be denied, arguing that Robles is a high risk and requires constant supervision.
Deputy District Attorney Tanner Sharp said Robles’ actions have not stopped while he’s been in custody. He has made a “shank,” or knife, and written words like “Taliban,” Sharp alleged.
Two weeks ago, authorities found a note in his cell with the ISIS flag on it, Sharp said, and words in Turkish, Arabic and English.
It references ISIS attempts at prison breaks in Iraq and Syria, according to Sharp, and contains lines like “coldly kill them” and “race towards our death.”
These phrases appear to be from ISIS war chants, he said.
“The fact that he is doing this while incarcerated demonstrates that he has been extremely radicalized and there is nothing that we can do, no conditions that we can impose, that would change that fact,” Sharp said.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.