Police report on Galardi to be heard by county

Monday, Jan. 24, 2005 | 10:47 a.m.

Metro Police officers are preparing to present the results of a yearlong investigation of Jack Galardi, father of a former strip club mogul at the center of a federal public corruption probe, at a meeting of the Clark County Commission scheduled Tuesday.

Galardi is involved with three items on the commission's regular liquor and gaming board. He has a request to be the owner-operator of the Leopard Lounge, off Naples Drive. He also has a request before the county to be landlord of Jaguars, a larger and newer club, nearby on Procyon Street.

That club is operated by Rich Gonzalez and Randy Miller, two former Las Vegas police officers with a variety of business interests in Las Vegas, including the Longhorn casino on the Boulder strip and the Bighorn casino in North Las Vegas. At the same county commission, Gonzales and Miller are asking for county approval to continue running Jaguars.

Gonzales and Miller took over operation of Jaguars in January 2004. Both Leopards and Jaguars have been operating on month-to-month extensions from the county since January 2004.

Jack Galardi is the father of Michael Galardi, who owned and ran Jaguars and Cheetahs, a strip club in the city of Las Vegas, until 2003, when he reportedly agreed to plead guilty and help prosecutors in their investigation of four former county commissioners here and several San Diego city councilman.

Prosecutors have alleged that the local politicians took thousands of dollars from Michael Galardi in exchange for their votes and influence over matters involving the three Las Vegas strip clubs and sister clubs in San Diego.

Observers have said a trial isn't likely until late this year.

Dominic Gentile, who has represented Jack Galardi on the licensing issues before the county, did not return phone calls Friday.

Representatives of Metro and Clark County Business and Licensing Department declined to discuss details of what is in the report of the police investigation.

Metro Sgt. Reagan Alexander, with the special investigations bureau, said police are prepared to present the results of the investigation, but by policy cannot release results of that inquiry before Tuesday's board meeting.

Samantha Charles, a spokesman for the county, echoed the police comments.

"I can only tell you that Metro's report has been completed," she said. "I can tell you that it is expected Metro will provide a report to the commissioners. The board may consider approval or denial for all three."

The result could be a split decision, with Galardi winning approval for one request and losing on another.

"The commissioners will take action on each item," Charles said. "The board will make independent decisions on each of those items."

Clark County Commissioner Lynette Boggs McDonald said she would receive a report from the Business and Licensing Department and Metro today. Until she has heard what those agencies have to say today and at the commission meeting Tuesday, Boggs McDonald said she would reserve judgment on how to respond.

She noted that the county has few options if they find problems with licensing Jack Galardi. The county can either approve or deny the licenses.

The situation at the county is different from that of the city. In her former job as a city councilwoman in 2004, Boggs McDonald voted with the 4-1 majority to levy a $1 million fine against Jack Galardi rather than pull the liquor license for Galardi's club within the city limits, Cheetahs.

Jack Galardi and his attorney, Gentile, argued then that pulling the liquor license would have meant closing the strip club.

The fines stem from Michael Galardi's testimony to federal officials that he paid elected county officials here and San Diego city officials for favorable treatment. At the time of the payments, Michael and Jack Galardi shared ownership of Cheetahs.

Boggs McDonald said state laws give the "home-ruled city of Las Vegas more flexibility to levy fines than the county. She said the county is seeking more flexibility through changes in state law that county lobbyists have asked for this year from the Legislature.

Paul Larsen, attorney for Jaguars operators Gonzalez and Miller, said he believes, based on conversations with Metro representatives, that his clients have gotten a clean bill of health.

"Their investigation indicates there are no areas of concern regarding them," Larsen said.

The same may not be true for Jack Galardi. Larsen said he believes the police report is likely to focus on Galardi's history.

Galardi was reportedly imprisoned for burglary of a post office in the early 1970s. Last year, police raided several of his strip clubs in Florida, and managers at the clubs were charged with various prostitution-related offenses.

Larsen said Jack Galardi's troubles could affect Gonzales and Miller.

"If the landlord is found unsuitable, it would obviously affect my clients ability to run the establishment," he said.

Someone else would have to own the building, and that could take time to set up.

"The purchaser might even be my guys, but it might be someone else," Larsen said. "The other option is that the club simply goes dark until somebody that is suitable buys it."

He said that outcome would be unfortunate for Gonzales and Miller, who have had one citation-- for a dancer being too close to a patron -- in the year that they have operated Jaguars.

"They've got probably the best record of any club," Larsen said. "If you're going to have these types of businesses, these are the kinds of guys you want involved in it."