Fiore’s sentencing hearing vacated; absent on bench despite vow to return

After her “full and unconditional” pardon from President Donald Trump last week, suspended Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore vowed to return to the bench immediately.

“On Monday, I will walk back into my courtroom as the elected Justice of the Peace — not because man permitted it, but because God ordained it,” wrote the former Las Vegas councilwoman.

The day came and went, and she was absent.

“She will not be returning today,” confirmed Nye County spokesman Arnold Knightly.

He added that the court was awaiting a decision from the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which suspended Fiore with pay after she was indicted on wire fraud charges last year.

The commission stripped Fiore’s salary after her federal conviction in October for defrauding donors who thought they were contributing to a memorial statue for a slain Las Vegas police officer.

Attorney Paola Armeni said last week that she had petitioned the commission to reinstate Fiore to the bench.

The commission acknowledged the pardon issued by President Donald Trump, but declined further comment.

‘No sentencing ever occurred’

Fiore, who has not agreed to an interview request with the Review-Journal, defended herself in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“I’ve had enough media attention to last me a lifetime,” she wrote. “For the past nine months, the press has simply echoed the Department of Justice’s docket filings, reporting them as fact without any independent investigation.”

Fiore said that her conviction was not completed without a sentence, which was scheduled for next month.

“In my case, a jury returned a verdict, but no sentencing ever occurred, and no judgment of conviction was ever entered — nor will it be. There is no lawful conviction,” she said. “Media outlets and individuals spreading misinformation are deliberately misleading the public, even before my full and unconditional pardon was granted.”

Her legal team filed a motion to vacate the sentencing hearing, which U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey granted Monday.

Prosecutors alleged that Fiore, as councilwoman, raised more than $70,000 to erect a statue of officer Alyn Beck, who was slain along with his partner, officer Igor Soldo, in an east Las Vegas pizzeria in 2014.

Instead, Fiore was accused of spending the funds on personal expenses.

Fiore maintained that the allegations were false, noting that the statue currently exists at the Officer Alyn Beck Memorial Park in the far northwest valley.

The White House didn’t respond to a request seeking comment but wrote to the Washington Post that: “Due to her conservative views, she became a target and incurred government investigation and prosecution.”

The statement added that Fiore was “convicted of wire fraud, but now she has received a pardon.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com.