Three get to stay home for the holidays

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006 | 7:08 a.m.

Three high-profile criminal defendants who struck federal plea deals are going to get to spend at least one more holiday season at home before being punished.

Former strip club operators Rick Rizzolo and Michael Galardi won't have to worry about how much time they're going to spend behind bars until after the first of the year. The same is true for Lance Malone, an ex-Clark County commissioner and Galardi lobbyist.

For legal reasons, federal prosecutors have agreed to postpone all three sentencings until mid-January at the earliest.

Rizzolo, the landlord and former operator of the Crazy Horse Too gentlemen's club, was supposed to be sentenced next Monday in federal court over his guilty plea in June to a tax evasion charge.

But attorneys in the case said Tuesday that the delay was necessary to give Rizzolo time to review a government presentencing report on his company, which owned the Crazy Horse Too .

The company pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge in the same decadelong FBI investigation, which attempted to link Rizzolo to organized crime, and faces fines in a separate sentencing next month.

Rizzolo's deal could cost him up to 16 months behind bars and nearly $17 million in fines, forfeitures and settlements. But his attorney, Tony Sgro, plans to ask U.S. District Judge Philip Pro to place Rizzolo on probation.

Malone also was supposed to be sentenced Monday in an unrelated political corruption case. But his hearing, according to documents filed this week, also was delayed until January because his presentence report was late.

Malone pleaded guilty in September to a racketeering conspiracy charge stemming from his efforts to give county politicians cash and gifts to further Galardi's business interests.

His plea agreement calls for him to receive 41 to 51 months in prison and up to $1 million in fines and forfeitures. Malone was sentenced to three years behind bars in San Diego on similar corruption charges involving Galardi, who struck a deal in 2003 to cooperate with the government.

Galardi's deal was contingent upon his testimony against the politicians he corrupted. His trial testimony earlier this year contributed to the federal bribery convictions of former Clark County Commissioners Dario Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, who later received 50 months and 30 months in prison, respectively.

According to Galardi's agreement with prosecutors, he can receive no more than five years in prison. He also has to pay $3.8 million in forfeitures.

Galardi, the former owner of Cheetahs and Jaguars, was scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks last week. But his sentencing was put off so that he could testify one last time at Malone's sentencing.