Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday in the trial of former Clark County commissioners Dario Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey for taking bribes from strip club owner Mike Galardi.
The trial, dubbed “Strippergate” by local media, now moves forward with defense attorneys stating their case.
Three clubs owned by Galardi, Cheetah’s in San Diego and Cheetah’s and Jaguars in Las Vegas – were raided last May by the FBI who were investigating allegations of illegal payoffs and bribes of public officials by the strip club mogul, who along with former county Commissioner Erin Kenny, last fall cut a deal to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a lesser sentence.
Prosecutors accuse Galardi of paying Herrera and Kincaid-Chauncey several thousand dollars a month, beginning in 2000 in exchange for their votes on strip club regulations. Herrera is alleged to have received a $30,000 payment from Galardi in 2001 after Herrera and his wife divorced, according to television station KLAS-TV.
Herrera is also accused of accepting sexual favors from Galardi’s dancers at the same time.
Prosecutors also accuse Kincaid-Chauncey of receiving $5,000 a month from Galardi, beginning in 2001.
The two defendants have denied any wrong doing and their attorneys claim that the only link to purported payoffs are claims from Galardi himself and one-time Galardi associate and political consultant Lance Malone, the station said.
Among the evidence heard by the jury were wiretap audio tapes where Herrera, Kincaid-Chauncey, Malone and former commissioner Kenny are heard discussing ways to derail a proposed ordinance that would limit what’s allowed inside strip clubs.
Galardi also testified to bribing the County Tax Assessor Mark Schofield, ten police officers, more than a dozen judges and former Las Vegas City Councilman Mike Mack.
Galardi claimed he was forced to give Mack $25,000 after the councilman threatened to outlaw lap dancing if he didn’t continue to pay him in cash and with sexual favors from his strippers.
Among the witnesses were stripper Vanessa Baca who said last week that Galardi paid her to escort Herrera on a 2001 golf trip to the Southern Highlands Golf Course where she had oral sex with the official and made out with him on a golf cart.
Another witness, Terry Lamuraglia, said to be one of Herrera’s best friends, also testified that he and Herrera went to Galardi’s clubs where he received free lap dances and sexual favors from strippers.
During her testimony last week, one stripper broke down on the stand, telling jurors Galardi paid her to give Herrera oral sex in a private room at Cheetah’s, while another said she too was paid for similar favors.
Jurors on Wednesday also heard from the former manager of one of Galardi’s strip clubs who said he often saw politicians at the club looking for money from Galardi, noting that it was well known around the club that Galardi was paying off politicians.
Herrera attorney Jerry Bernstein said he hopes to call nine witnesses whom he says will clear the two defendants.
The witnesses are nine Clark County and Las Vegas city officials whom Galardi also claims he has bribed or tried to influence, though none have been charged. All nine have denied the allegations.
But prosecutors have asked Judge Larry Hicks not to allow them to testify, claiming the issue is about Herrera and Kincaid-Chauncey and not about allegations involving other officials.
Kincaid-Chauncey’s attorney, Richard Wright said the witnesses are key to their argument and must be allowed to testify because they contradict Galardi’s statements.
Galardi is the son of 74-year-old strip club mogul Jack Galardi, who moved from Las Vegas in the 1990s to Atlanta where he owns a home and several strip clubs, including the Crazy Horse, Goldrush, Masters and the Pink Pony.
