A Nevada Republican politician who unsuccessfully ran for state treasurer two years ago was found guilty on Thursday of misusing funds raised for a statue honoring a slain police officer. Michele Fiore, a former Las Vegas city councilwoman and state lawmaker, was convicted on six counts of federal wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to KLAS-TV in Las Vegas. The trial lasted a week in U.S. District Court in Nevada.
Each charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Fiore, currently suspended without pay from her position as a justice of the peace in rural Pahrump, Nevada, is set to be sentenced on January 6 and will remain free until then.
Her attorney, Michael Sanft, announced plans to appeal the conviction.
During the trial, federal prosecutors revealed that Fiore had raised over $70,000 for a statue commemorating a Las Vegas police officer killed in the line of duty in 2014. However, instead of using the funds for the intended purpose, she spent the money on personal expenses such as plastic surgery, rent, and her daughter’s wedding. Michele Fiore used a tragedy to line her pockets, federal prosecutor Dahoud Askar stated.
The investigation began in 2021 when FBI agents subpoenaed records and searched Fiore’s home in northwest Las Vegas regarding her campaign spending. Sanft criticized the FBI’s investigation, calling it sloppy.
Despite not having a law degree, Fiore was appointed as a judge in Nye County in 2022, shortly after her loss in the state treasurer race. She was later elected in June to serve the remainder of a deceased judge’s term. Pahrump is located about an hour’s drive west of Las Vegas.
The 54-year-old politician served in the state Legislature from 2012 to 2016, gaining attention for posing with firearms in holiday cards. She was a Las Vegas councilwoman from 2017 to 2022.