FBI takes papers from county offices

Jace Radke and Launce Rake

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003 | 9:12 a.m.

The FBI gathered documents from Clark County offices last week in connection with an ongoing political corruption investigation.

"The FBI approached the county manager and requested certain routine documents in support of the ongoing investigation," county spokesman Erik Pappa said in a written release. "The majority of this information has already been collected and presented to others.

"The county manager agreed to collect those documents and provide them."

County sources said the documents dealt with business licenses, land use, and adult-use ordinances in Clark County.

Special Agent Todd Palmer, an FBI spokesman, confirmed that documents were requested from the county and were collected by agents within the last 10 days.

"We did pick up the records, and anything we picked up was a matter of public record," Palmer said.

A similar investigation in San Diego has resulted in the indictments of former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone and strip club owner Michael Galardi. Malone, Galardi and others were indicted Aug. 28 in San Diego on charges that they made illegal campaign contributions to three San Diego city councilmen to influence them to loosen restrictions on adult businesses.

Malone has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, extortion and racketeering in the case, and is free on $245,000 bond.

Galardi, who owns Cheetahs, the Leopard Lounge and Jaguars in Las Vegas and Cheetahs in San Diego, originally pleaded not guilty to the same charges, but has since pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He has also agreed to testify for prosecutors in the case.

Cheetahs San Diego manager John D'Intino also pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Malone and Galardi both are reported to be targets of the parallel Las Vegas investigation, which became public after FBI agents raided Galardi's clubs and office. Agents also searched the offices of the San Diego councilmen the same day.

The names of Clark County Commission Chairwoman Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, former Commissioners Erin Kenny and Dario Herrera and former Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald all have surfaced as potential subjects or targets in the Las Vegas investigation.

Kenny has reportedly told friends and supporters that she already has struck a deal and is cooperating with the authorities.

"The FBI indicated that the investigation does not involve any county staff," Pappa said.

In San Diego, the three city councilmen are accused of accepting illegal payments from Galardi, Malone, and D'Intino, in order to change a law that restricted dancers and customers from touching at strip clubs. The matter never made it onto the agenda of a council committee that reviews proposed laws.

All three councilmen, Charles Lewis, Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza, have maintained their innocence.

A "no touch" ordinance similar to San Diego's was considered and initially passed by the Clark County Commission last year before being repealed.