Facing federal indictment, Michele Fiore continues to hold court in Pahrump

PAHRUMP — A day before Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore was scheduled to face a federal judge on wire fraud and conspiracy charges, she was holding court for other people accused of breaking the law.

Fiore, 53, of Pahrump, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Las Vegas. Prosecutors allege that she raised more than $70,000 for a fallen officers memorial when she was a Las Vegas city councilwoman, but spent the money on herself and her daughter’s wedding.

State law calls for the Commission on Judicial Discipline to suspend a judge who is indicted for a felony charge. Commission staff said this week that they were aware of Fiore’s indictment, but declined further comment.

Fiore presided over two hearings on Thursday. One was for a man accused of driving under the influence.

Fiore appointed a public defender to represent the man and said he might have to pay for her representation.

“You’ll be paying it back if you can afford it,” she said.

In another hearing, a woman accused of driving without insurance pleaded guilty. Fiore said she’d dismiss the case if the woman could prove she had insurance when she was stopped.

Fiore declined to comment through her courtroom bailiff after the hearing. “I have always approached my duties with the utmost integrity and dedication,” she previously said in a statement.

A former Las Vegas councilwoman and state assemblywoman, Fiore also previously served as a Nevada GOP national committeewoman, and in 2022 she ran an unsuccessful campaign for state treasurer.

After Metropolitan Police Department officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo were fatally shot in 2014, the Las Vegas City Council decided to name a new park for Beck, which would be in Ward 6, the district Fiore represented when she was elected. In 2018, when the city broke ground on the park, Fiore proposed creating a statue of Beck, the indictment said.

Federal prosecutors said Fiore used the project to raise money through a charity and political action committee between July 2019 and January 2020. She told donors the money they gave would pay for the statue or another memorial project, but prosecutors said that the donations were used for “political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members, including to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”

Fiore seemed cheerful on Thursday, despite her indictment. She said, “Top of the morning” and flashed a smile as she entered the courtroom, where a quote on the wall attributed to St. Augustine said, “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”

Public Defender Alexis Duecker said she had no problem with Fiore being under indictment and on the bench.

“Everyone’s innocent until proven guilty,” she said.

Some experts on judicial ethics were more critical.

Charles Geyh, a law professor at Indiana University who specializes in judicial conduct and ethics, said a judge indicted of fraud should be suspended pending the outcome of their case to protect public confidence in the judiciary.

“I’m hard-pressed to find a good reason why it makes sense to keep her on the bench during the pendency of criminal proceedings,” he said.

David Sachar, director of the National Center for State Court’s judicial ethics center, said many states automatically suspend judges who are indicted or arrested. Doing so promotes public trust, he said.

But judicial ethics expert Keith Fisher said he wouldn’t be surprised if it took the Commission on Judicial Discipline a few days to suspend Fiore.

In the meantime, he said, it would be prudent for a judge in her position to stop hearing cases, and it would look better for a judge to take a leave of absence than to force a suspension.

It is unclear who, if anyone, will take Fiore’s place if she is suspended. When District Judge Elizabeth Halverson was suspended in 2007, retired judges took on her caseload while she was put on paid leave. Halverson, who was accused of mistreating staff, causing mistrials and falling asleep on the bench, was eventually removed.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.

Review-Journal staff writer Katelyn Newberg contributed to this report.