Nevada judicial commission charges Michele Fiore over statue fund misuse

Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore faced three judicial misconduct charges over more than $70,000 raised for a memorial statue honoring Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer Alyn Beck, a case now testing public trust in Nye County’s courthouse.

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline filed its formal statement of charges on April 24, 2026, saying Fiore’s retention of the donations and resulting unjust enrichment created a perception that her honesty, impartiality, temperament or fitness to serve as a judge was impaired. The commission tied the case to Fiore’s 2024 federal jury conviction on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud.

The fundraising effort was supposed to support a statue for Beck, who was killed in the line of duty, but prosecutors and the commission said the money was instead used for personal expenses. That allegation has made the matter especially sensitive because it involves a slain police officer, donated money and a sitting judge in Pahrump.

Fiore’s legal and disciplinary troubles have unfolded in stages. She was first suspended with salary in July 2024 after a federal grand jury indictment, then suspended without salary after her October 2024 conviction. After President Donald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon on April 23, 2025, she was suspended with salary again in May 2025.

The Nevada Supreme Court on April 10, 2026, upheld Fiore’s interim suspension and dismissed her appeal, finding that the commission had jurisdiction and did not abuse its discretion. The court action left Fiore off the bench while the disciplinary case continued.

Fiore took the bench in 2022 after being appointed by Nye County commissioners, then won re-election in June 2024. She announced in January 2026 that she was seeking re-election again, even as the disciplinary case and her suspension remained active.

Fiore and her attorney, Paola Armeni, have rejected the new charges as recycled allegations. Armeni has argued the commission lacks authority to punish Fiore for conduct tied to her pre-bench criminal case, and Fiore has said she will fight the matter on jurisdictional, procedural and due-process grounds.

The commission had not yet set a hearing date. If a response is filed on time, defense counsel said a hearing should be scheduled within 60 days afterward. For Pahrump residents who expect a judge to handle public trust with care, the case now reaches beyond one political figure and into the credibility of the local court itself.