The saga of Michele Fiore, the embattled former Las Vegas City Councilwoman and Nye County Judge, continues to unfold as the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has chosen to extend her suspension from the bench without pay. The Commission, which originally suspended Fiore in October following her federal wire fraud conviction, filed a new order on Wednesday to "rescind and reinstate" her suspension, according to KTNV. Under state law, the Commission is allowed to review and potentially reinstate suspensions every 60 days, should the original circumstances that led to the suspension still stand.
Fiore found herself guilty by a federal jury in October for six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, facing a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison per count. The indictment accused her of funneling money from charitable contributions and political donations into personal accounts, spending on expenses ranging from living costs and plastic surgery to her daughter's wedding. As reported by FOX5 Vegas, one particular misuse of $70,000 earmarked for a fallen police officers' memorial was highlighted in her indictment.
Originally set for sentencing on January 6, 2025, Fiore has faced a change in representation, with Michael Sanft withdrawing and new attorney Paola Armeni stepping in. Armeni has filed a motion to delay the sentencing, pushing the date to March 10, 2025, to allow the defense more time to sift through the "voluminous" evidence and trial transcripts. In a document obtained by KTNV, Armeni stated that "counsel was not trial counsel and therefore is unable to ascertain any issues for post-trial motions and mitigating factors for sentencing without a thorough review of the discovery and more importantly the trial transcripts."
The prosecution, however, has pushed back, with federal prosecutors Alexander Gottfried and Dahoud Askar arguing that the defense has had ample time to prepare. "There will be 151 days — five months — between when current counsel was appointed and the current sentencing date on March 10, 2025. That is more than enough time for counsel to prepare an effective sentencing argument," they said in a motion, according to KTNV. Despite the prosecution's agreement to a 30-day extension, the defense's request for a 90-day extension was partially met as U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey granted a 60-day extension, setting the current sentencing hearing for March 10 at 10 a.m.
Throughout this process, Fiore has asserted her intent to file an appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court, as she is entitled to do under state law, though it remains unclear when such an appeal might be lodged. With the new sentencing date established, the legal battle over the gravity of Fiore's sentence and the extent of her right to counsel's preparation time marches on.
