Henry Ruggs III, a convicted Black killer serving 3-10 years for a DUI crash that claimed the life of a White woman, is currently working a cushy prison job inside Republican Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo’s mansion.
- A former wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders, Ruggs made headlines last year for a violent drunk driving crash that culminated in the death of White 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog Max.
- In August of 2023, the NFL player pleaded guilty to the crime of driving drunk at 156 mph, crashing his car into Tintor’s RAV4. The impact was so violent that police said Tintor’s car burst into flames. At the time of the crash, Ruggs’ refused a breathalyzer, but a test at the hospital determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.16, twice the legal limit.
- While Ruggs admitted to killing Tintor, he earned a paltry sentence of just 3-10 years in prison, and will be up for parole in 2026. In the meantime, he has already secured himself a privileged position working inside the Nevada Governor’s mansion as a “community trustee,” making $2.50 an hour—a high wage for prison labor.
Policy and procedure: While incarcerated, Ruggs is serving time at a minimum security lockup known as the “Stewart Conservation Camp.” Alarmingly, some have speculated he could return to the NFL after his sentence is complete.
- “(Trustee inmates) represent a limited potential to misbehave and represent a low risk to escape while assigned to employment within the community,” said the Department of Corrections.
- Community Trustees are usually assigned jobs related to cleaning and maintaining state grounds, facilities, parks, and the Governor’s Mansion.
- The department alleges that there are a total of 4 trustees assigned to working the Governor’s Mansion, which include Ruggs.
The aftermath: Tina Tintor was a beloved member of her community and known by friends as “a force to be reckoned with.” She had entered the United States as a baby when her family fled war-torn Serbia in 2000.
- “She was always going out of her way in any way she could for her friends. A friendship like hers will be hard to find again,” said High School friend, Mia Galvan.
- “Whether she knew you or not, Tina was the type of person that would give you the food off of her plate to make sure you weren’t hungry….Tina was the shoulder to cry on, the ear that made you felt heard, and the friendly smile you needed when you made a bad joke,” said her brother, Djordje Tintor.
- “Tina’s tragic loss has devastated her family beyond a grief they could ever comprehend. Family was everything to Tina, and she was the light of her parents’ life,” said her parents in a statement.
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