Official denies allegations in corruption trial

Wednesday, July 6, 2005 | 9:08 a.m.

A Clark County public defender and former deputy district attorney said allegations leveled at him by a key government witness in the ongoing political corruption trial in San Diego are untrue.

Gary Guymon had been on call last week to testify in the trial of two San Diego city councilmen, a council aide and former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone. Federal prosecutors allege that Malone and Michael Galardi, who owned strip clubs in Las Vegas and San Diego, conspired to bribe the California officials in order to change the local law that banned touching by nude dancers.

Galardi has said Guymon was present at a 1999 meeting at which Malone demanded $5,000 a month. Malone, who went on to become Galardi's lobbyist in both San Diego and Las Vegas, was then serving as a county commissioner.

Also present at the 1999 meeting was Craig Hendricks, who is a Clark County deputy district attorney. It was Hendricks who last week testified that Malone did not make such a demand for the $5,000 at the meeting.

Dominic Gentile, Malone's attorney, said at the time that Guymon's testimony was not needed. Guymon said testifying would have provided an opportunity to respond to whispers of his conduct that have come through the media and the government. Allegations have destroyed his career with the district attorney's office, he said.

"This case was driven by politics and not the truth," Guymon said.

Closing arguments in the case are being made this week in San Diego, and a jury will then decide. A parallel case in Las Vegas will follow at some point after this trial.

Guymon said that among those who Galardi has made allegations against include Eric Johnson, an assistant U.S. attorney who was at one time the lead government lawyer on the Las Vegas case. Johnson was taken off the case, although a subsequent Justice Department investigation found Johnson's denial of taking "comps" at Galardi's strip clubs "credible."

Guymon said he is familiar with Galardi's charges against him included in the federal "302" reports that detail Galardi's revelations to the government. Guymon declined to say what those where, but said unsubstantiated charges were used to force him from his job at the district attorney's office.

"I've had all sorts of things said about me ... It has affected by life and career. It has impacted my whole life," Guymon said.

Natalie Collins, spokeswoman for the Las Vegas office of the U.S. attorney, said there would be no comment on Guymon's comments.

Another Las Vegas law enforcement official fingered by Galardi is current District Attorney David Roger, Guymon said, citing his familiarity with the federal reports.

Roger said Tuesday that Guymon was not privy to the federal documents. He declined comment on the specific allegation and declined comment as well on Galardi's credibility, which will almost certainly become an issue again if, as expected, the federal government prosecutes Malone and two fellow former Clark County commissioners in a trial expected to begin early next year.

Roger said he also could not comment on Guymon's transfer last year to the public defender's office because it was a personnel matter.

Guymon provided details of the 1999 meeting at which Malone, Galardi charged, demanded $5,000 a month. Guymon said Malone never made the demand, and he would have known since he was sitting next to Malone throughout the meeting.

Guymon said to his knowledge it was the first meeting between Malone and Galardi, and payments of any kind were not discussed.

"It was absolutely a social occasion," Guymon said. "Craig Hendricks was running for Municipal Court judge at the time. He wanted to meet Lance Malone, wanted a picture together. They were both Republicans. They knew each other, but weren't as close as I was to Lance.

"Mike (Galardi) wanted an opportunity to meet Lance as well. It was my belief that they never met each other before that."

Guymon said he knew Galardi because the strip club owner's attorney was a close friend.

"I met Mike Galardi as a result of being good friends at the time with Pete Christiansen," Guymon said. "Pete's major client then was Mike. ... It was inevitable that I met Mike.

"If you know a lawyer, you know the lawyer's client."

Guymon said he had known Malone for years. Malone once considered going to law school and clerked at a Las Vegas firm that Guymon worked with. Malone also was a Metro Police officer, and Guymon as a deputy district attorney worked with Malone in that capacity.

He said the meeting that brought together Galardi, Malone, Hendricks and himself is not unusual in Las Vegas, which still resembles a small town in some respects.

Guymon noted that he has not been charged with any crime, despite what he believes are serious allegations against him.

"I'm still waiting for the FBI to come by my house," Guymon said.