Las Vegas- Calling former strip club owner Michael Galardi a “human ATM machine,” Richard Buonotony on Wednesday recalled walking into a Cheetah’s office to find Galardi and Dario Herrera sitting at a desk stacked with $100 bills.

Buonotony, who was general manager of Cheetah’s at the time, testified Wednesday that he bumped into Galardi in the club moments later.

“I smiled and laughed. I said, ‘What was that all about?’ ” Buonotony told jurors hearing the public corruption case against former Clark County Commissioners Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey.

“Mike said, ‘What do you think that was about?’ ”

Buonotony testified that Herrera was one of who regularly hit Galardi up for cash, free lap dances and sexual favors from strippers.

“It was unbelievable how many people came in looking for women, alcohol and cash,” Buonotony said.

Two former Cheetah’s managers were called to testify Wednesday for the prosecution, which wrapped up its case shortly before noon.

Kincaid-Chauncey and Herrera, along with former colleagues Erin Kenny and Lance Malone, were indicted in 2003 and accused of accepting cash bribes from Galardi. Galardi was indicted too, for the alleged bribery.

Prosecutors allege that in exchange for payments, the commissioners voted favorably on matters beneficial to Galardi’s clubs and against legislation that could impede his success.

Kenny and Galardi pleaded guilty to the charges and are cooperating with the government.

Malone, who left office in 2000 and became Galardi’s lobbyist, is scheduled to go to trial in August. Galardi has testified that Malone was his “bagman.” Malone has already been convicted of similar charges in a parallel case in San Diego that involved city councilmen there.

In that case and in the ongoing one at the federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas, defendants’ lawyers as well as unindicted politicians and government officials whom Galardi alleges he also bribed, have accused Galardi of lying.

After testifying Wednesday, Buonotony said Galardi told the truth when he told prosecutors of all the Las Vegas Valley lawyers, elected officials and police officers to whom he made payments and to whom he provided free lap dances and sexual favors.

“Mike Galardi is not a liar,” Buonotony said.

During its heyday, Buonotony said, Cheetah’s was “a cross between boys town and Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Galardi realized that it would take only one disgruntled politician to introduce tighter strip club regulations, such as requirements that dancers stay 6 feet away from patrons, Buonotony said. That’s why Galardi paid thousands of dollars in cash to any politician who asked, Buonotony said.

Asked whether politicians extorted Galardi, Buonotony said: “There is no doubt there was (extortion). He was giving money to be left alone.”

He recalled one incident when he was working the door on a Friday night. The club was busy and the line of customers extended out the front door. One politician, whom Buonotony declined to name, walked up and remarked, “Business is unbelievable. I sure would hate for there to be a 6-foot law.”

Buonotony said Galardi quickly responded: “How much do you need?”

Galardi knew how to protect his clubs, Buonotony said.

“There are three ways to do it, and I just named the three ways earlier,” he said, referring to cash, women and alcohol. “We had them all.”

Buonotony and Galardi have known each other since they were 12 years old. Both grew up in Las Vegas and graduated from Western High School. Galardi hired several high school pals to work at his clubs.

Buonotony said they all know dozens of police officers and politicians, and Galardi paid for their drinks and lap dances when they visited the clubs. Some of the comps were because of friendships and were not considered bribes, he said. Others, however, took advantage of Galardi.

“It’s unbelievable it has reached this point,” Buonotony said, referring to the federal trial.

Earlier in the day, Mark Rodney, a former project manager for Jaguars, testified that Galardi was frustrated with the red tag that halted construction of the club in 2001. Galardi has testified that he expected Kincaid-Chauncey, Herrera and Kenny to help lift the red tag because he was paying them.

“How much more do I have to pay these (expletives),” Rodney said, quoting Galardi.

Defense attorneys are expected to fully launch into their case Monday, but they called one witness to testify Wednesday before jurors were given a four-day weekend.

FBI Agent Christopher Byers, who walked prosecutors through intercepted phone calls early in the case, was called back by the defense. Attorney Jerry Bernstein, who represents Herrera, attempted to show jurors that Malone often deceived Galardi.

Defense attorneys have contended that Malone pocketed cash that Galardi intended to be delivered to their clients.

In an intercepted phone call made in August 2002, Malone called the Review-Journal and identified himself as a Las Vegas police officer. He offered the newspaper a tip that Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald was driving Galardi’s Mercedes Benz.

“I ran the plate and it came back Michael Galardi,” Malone said during the call.

Defense attorneys questioned why Malone would want to get Galardi in trouble.

During another series of calls, which the judge would not allow to be played for jurors, Malone solicited money for Kenny from Rick Rizzolo, a competitor of Galardi’s. Days later, Galardi told Malone he thought Kenny might be working for one of his rivals. Malone at first played dumb, but then suggested that maybe Kenny was working for Rizzolo.

Bernstein and Richard Wright, who represents Kincaid-Chauncey, offered a list of witnesses they plan to call to testify next week. They intend to question many of the elected and appointed officials Galardi claims to have bribed or attempted to bribe.

U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks is expected to consider the list over the weekend.

At issue is Eric Johnson, the assistant U.S. attorney who was pulled off the case after Galardi told federal agents that Johnson frequented Cheetah’s and had received free drinks and dances. Galardi’s allegations were investigated by the Department of Justice, which provided Johnson with a letter stating that it did not find proof to substantiate the allegations.

Bernstein and Wright argued that Johnson’s testimony will back their contention that Galardi is lying. They questioned why federal prosecutors would allow Galardi to take the stand and make the same accusations when the federal government found them to be untrue.

“They still let the man get on the stand and lie,” Wright said.

Outside of court, Bernstein said that after listening to the prosecution’s case, he feels confident about Herrera’s fate.

“I think the evidence speaks for itself and the testimony speaks for itself,” Bernstein said. “We’re feeling pretty good, really good.”