After a roll call the Nevada Commission of Judicial Discipline met virtually to render a decision to suspend Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore without pay, on Friday afternoon.
Fiore, 54, was found guilty on Oct. 3 by a federal jury of six counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In court, prosecutors argued that she raised $70,000 for a statue honoring Alyn Beck, a fallen officer in Las Vegas. But instead of using her donations in Beck’s honor, she allegedly spent it on rent, plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding.
Not a single donation went towards the statue that was unveiled in 2020, according to the investigation.
When Fiore was indicted on the wire fraud case, she was suspended with pay by the Commission. The Commission revisited the case on Friday afternoon where Paola Armeni, who spoke on behalf of Fiore in the virtual public hearing, asked to not suspend Fiore without pay.
Fiore sat behind Armeni in the virtual hearing.
Her representative stated that the law allowed the Commission to suspend without pay, not that they are required, meaning it’d be up to the Commission’s discretion.
“The verdict does not stem from any allegations associated with her role as the justice of the peace,” Armeni said in the hearing. “In that role, judge Fiore has only received the highest praise from the Nye County community.
Fiore recently won her primary election to continue to serve as the justice of the peace by over 50 percent of the votes. Candidates that win by over 50 percent in Nevada in the primary election are outright the winners and will not appear in the general election.
The Nye County Commissioners have also communicated how much of an asset Fiore is to the town and would like her to receive pay while she is suspended as the criminal case is pending.
Fiore will face her sentencing trial on Jan. 6.
After Armeni’s statements, Karl Armstrong, a member of The Commission, turned the hearing into a private session where he said the Commission, “will issue our findings at a later date.
Contact Jimmy Romo at jromo@pvtimes.com. Follow @JimmyRomo.News on Instagram.