Former commissioners coming home

Dario Herrera and Erin Kenny are being shipped back to Las Vegas from their respective federal prison camps, but their lives back home will bear little resemblance to their high-flying, high-living days as Clark County commissioners.

During his years in office, Herrera was accustomed to free passes into popular nightclubs and complimentary lap dances, it was revealed during his 2006 trial. He received sex on the house, and his golf game was spiced up with topless bar dancers at no additional cost.

The 35-year-old will come home today a single man. His wife, Emily Herrera, who sat expressionless while detailed accounts of her husband's affairs were aired in the courtroom, filed and was granted a divorce a year ago.

Herrera has spent the past 45 months in a prison camp in Florence, Colo., after he was convicted of accepting bribes from strip club owner Michael Galardi. Acquaintances said the once-rising Democratic star who earned his degree from the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, taught law classes at the facility.

Prior to Herrera's sentencing in late 2006, Jonathan Stern of ADG Capital, the company that employed Herrera and built the $80 million Loft 5 condominiums, said Herrera would have a job to come home to, but the construction industry tanked while Herrera was locked up. The number at the company's New York headquarters has been disconnected.

Ashley Hall, director of public relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he kept in contact with Herrera, who joined the church after he was indicted in 2003. Hall declined to discuss Herrera's time in prison other than to say he frequently sent Herrera books.

Kenny, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Galardi, cooperated with the government and testified against Herrera and former colleague Mary Kincaid-Chauncey. Now Kenny and Herrera might spend the remaining days of incarceration at the same facility, the Las Vegas Corrections Center at 2901 Industrial Road. Her return date couldn't be obtained Wednesday.

The facility is a halfway house that looks like a three-story office building with little security other than closed-circuit cameras.

The 124-bed institution allows inmates to find employment and re-establish ties to the community with the help of a case manager.

Visitation is more lax and inmates are permitted to leave for the day to work but required to return at night.

It is unclear how long Herrera will remain at the center, but Kincaid-Chauncey was transferred to the Las Vegas halfway house on Dec. 16 and released to home confinement just two weeks later after she served all but six months of her 30-month sentence.

John Casale, the facility's director, did not return phone messages left with his office Tuesday and Wednesday.

Like Herrera, it is doubtful Kenny's cash flow will compare to her tenure as a commissioner. Not only did Kenny collect her commission salary, which ranged from $54,000 to $70,000 over the years, but she also accepted $200,000 from real estate consultant Don Davidson, between $150,000 and $200,000 from Galardi and $3,000 a month from Triple Five Development.

After Kenny, 48, surrendered her commission seat to run for lieutenant governor in 2003, developer Jim Rhodes began paying her $15,000 a month to provide him advice on government services. He upped her salary to $201,600 a year after she was indicted, she testified.

Rhodes filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Rhodes, who also builds homes in Arizona, was questioned by the Arizona Cooperation Commission about his relationship with Kenny. He was never charged with any crime.

During her 30-month term at an Arizona prison camp, Kenny missed several of her children's milestones and accomplishments. Her oldest son, Pat Kenny, recently graduated from Meadows High School and his football team won the state championship. The wrestler also won the regional championship for his weight class. Kenny's daughter, who was in her teens, is now in her 20s and attending college.

Herrera is scheduled to be released from the prison system on Dec. 14, Kenny on Dec. 18, according to the Bureau of Prisons Web site.

The only player in the political corruption scheme who will remain incarcerated after Herrera and Kenny serve their final months in the system is Lance Malone, a one-time commissioner who served as a lobbyist for Galardi. Malone, who received a six-year sentence for delivering cash bribes on behalf of Galardi, is scheduled to be released in July 2012.

Galardi, who pleaded guilty to the bribery charges and received a 30-month sentence, was released in January.

Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.