Dario Herrera
Encyclopedia
Dario Herrera is a former Democratic
politician from Nevada
. Herrera was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party until his defeat for election to the United States House of Representatives
in 2002 and his subsequent convictions on federal public corruption charges.
, Florida
. He moved to Las Vegas
in 1991 to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
. Herrera began his political career in 1994 as campaign coordinator for Nevada Gov. Bob Miller
. At the age of 23 Herrera was elected to the Nevada Assembly
in 1996 and then to the Clark County Commission
two years later. During this period he was told by then-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Henry Cisneros
that he was a "star" and "going places."
In 2002 Herrera won the Democratic nomination in the newly-created Nevada 3rd Congressional District
. However during the campaign it was revealed that Herrera received a $50,000 contract from the Las Vegas Housing Authority "to do public relations work that the authority board members never knew about." Herrera lost the election to Republican
state Sen. Jon Porter
.
, Mary Kincaid-Chauncey
, and several other local elected officials, Herrera became embroiled in a corruption investigation involving a Las Vegas strip club which became known as Operation G-Sting
. In May 2006 Herrera was convicted of 17 counts of conspiracy
, wire fraud
and extortion
stemming from charges that he and the other officials "used their public offices to further the interests of Michael Galardi, a strip club owner in Las Vegas. They solicited and accepted money, property, and services directly from Galardi and through co-defendant Lance Malone, another former county commissioner. The evidence demonstrated that members of the conspiracy concealed the payments they received from Galardi and failed to disclose the payments as required by law and their fiduciary duties as county commissioners." In August 2006 Herrera was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison, fined $15,000 and ordered to forfeit $60,000 in assets. Herrera declined to appeal his convictions.
In January 2007 Herrera began serving his sentence at the Florence Federal Correctional Complex
in Florence
, Colorado
. Herrera's sentence was originally scheduled to end in early 2011.
Herrera was released in the spring of 2009 and is back working for the Loft 5 condo project in Las Vegas.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician from Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. Herrera was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party until his defeat for election to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 2002 and his subsequent convictions on federal public corruption charges.
Political career
Herrera grew up in MiamiMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He moved to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in 1991 to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
. Herrera began his political career in 1994 as campaign coordinator for Nevada Gov. Bob Miller
Bob Miller (Nevada governor)
Robert Joseph "Bob" Miller is an American politician. He was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada from 1989 to 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. At the age of 23 Herrera was elected to the Nevada Assembly
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member districts. Each Assembly district contained approximately 47,400 people as of the 2000 census, although...
in 1996 and then to the Clark County Commission
Clark County Commission (Nevada)
The Clark County Board of County Commissioners is the governmental organization that runs the unincorporated areas of Clark County, Nevada. The commission is considered by many to be the most powerful governmental body in the state of Nevada....
two years later. During this period he was told by then-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a member of the President's Cabinet, and thirteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Housing...
Henry Cisneros
Henry Cisneros
Henry Gabriel Cisneros is a politician and businessman. A Democrat, Cisneros served as the 10th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the administration of President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997...
that he was a "star" and "going places."
In 2002 Herrera won the Democratic nomination in the newly-created Nevada 3rd Congressional District
Nevada's 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Nevada is a congressional district occupying the suburbs of Las Vegas, including Henderson, parts of North Las Vegas and Summerlin, and much of unincorporated Clark County...
. However during the campaign it was revealed that Herrera received a $50,000 contract from the Las Vegas Housing Authority "to do public relations work that the authority board members never knew about." Herrera lost the election to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
state Sen. Jon Porter
Jon Porter
Jonathan Christopher "Jon" Porter , an American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, the first representative elected from the new 3rd Congressional District of Nevada....
.
"Operation G-Sting" involvement and conviction
Along with former Clark County commissioners Erin KennyErin Kenny
Erin Leigh Callin Kenny is a former Democratic politician from Nevada.Kenny earned her law degree on May 17, 2002, from William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas...
, Mary Kincaid-Chauncey
Mary Kincaid-Chauncey
Mary J. Kincaid-Chauncey is a former Democratic politician from Nevada. Kincaid-Chauncey served on the Clark County Commission until she was defeated for reelection and subsequently convicted of federal corruption charges.-Political career:...
, and several other local elected officials, Herrera became embroiled in a corruption investigation involving a Las Vegas strip club which became known as Operation G-Sting
Operation G-Sting
Operation G-Sting was an FBI probe into bribes and unreported campaign contributions taken by Clark County Commissioners in Clark County, Nevada and commissioners in San Diego, California. The scandal portion, was also known as Strippergate, especially in San Diego...
. In May 2006 Herrera was convicted of 17 counts of conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
and extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
stemming from charges that he and the other officials "used their public offices to further the interests of Michael Galardi, a strip club owner in Las Vegas. They solicited and accepted money, property, and services directly from Galardi and through co-defendant Lance Malone, another former county commissioner. The evidence demonstrated that members of the conspiracy concealed the payments they received from Galardi and failed to disclose the payments as required by law and their fiduciary duties as county commissioners." In August 2006 Herrera was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison, fined $15,000 and ordered to forfeit $60,000 in assets. Herrera declined to appeal his convictions.
In January 2007 Herrera began serving his sentence at the Florence Federal Correctional Complex
Florence Federal Correctional Complex
The Florence Federal Correctional Complex, located in unincorporated Fremont County, Colorado, south of Florence. The complex is south of Denver and Colorado Springs and west of Pueblo on State Highway 67. The complex was opened in 1994...
in Florence
Florence, Colorado
The City of Florence is a Statutory City located in Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The population was 3,653 at the 2000 census.ADX Florence, the only federal Supermax prison in the United States, is located south of Florence in an unincorporated area in Fremont County...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Herrera's sentence was originally scheduled to end in early 2011.
Herrera was released in the spring of 2009 and is back working for the Loft 5 condo project in Las Vegas.