Ben Botkin, an award-winning investigative reporter from Nevada, is joining Oklahoma Watch to cover criminal justice, corrections and other policy issues facing the state.
Botkin most recently was a reporter at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, covering state government and corrections from the statehouse in Carson City and, previously, county government in Las Vegas, seat of Clark County. He also was the newspaper’s lead political writer during the 2016 election cycle.
During his four-and-a-half years at the Review-Journal, Botkin produced investigative stories that helped spark the indictments of an elected constable on wiretapping charges and revealed needless killings of animals by the city animal shelter director, who went to jail for animal cruelty.
He started his career at the Post Register in Idaho Falls, where he covered local government and law enforcement. At the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho, Botkin covered the Idaho statehouse and education. He also has covered local government and education beats at newspapers in rural Illinois and Oregon.
Botkin’s work has garnered him Associated Press regional awards for investigative journalism, education reporting and statehouse beat reporting.
He graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He is a native of East Peoria, Illinois.
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