On Friday, December 20, 2024, KTNV reported that the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline extended the suspension of former Las Vegas City Councilwoman and Nye County Judge Michele Fiore. The commission issued a new order to “rescind and reinstate” her suspension, which was initially imposed in October.
This decision aligns with state law that allows the commission to review suspensions every 60 days. If the same circumstances persist, the commission can choose to maintain the suspension. Fiore, who has indicated plans to appeal the suspension to the Nevada Supreme Court, was found guilty by a federal jury in October on multiple charges, including six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each charge could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Fiore was accused of misappropriating funds from charitable and political organizations for personal expenses, including living costs, cosmetic surgery, and her daughter’s wedding. Her sentencing, initially set for January 6, 2025, has now been postponed to March 10, 2025, following the withdrawal of her trial attorney, Michael Sanft.
Her new attorney, Paola Armeni, filed a motion earlier in December to delay the sentencing hearing, citing a lack of access to the complete trial transcripts. Armeni described the evidence in the case as “voluminous,” necessitating additional time for review. The motion noted that her team is unable to fully prepare for post-trial motions and sentencing arguments without a thorough examination of the available materials.
In response, federal prosecutors Alexander Gottfried and Dahoud Askar acknowledged the request for an extension, but expressed concerns regarding the timing. They pointed out that there had been 67 days between the appointment of Fiore’s original trial counsel on July 19 and the start of the trial on September 24, during which he was able to review the evidence and prepare a defense. They argued that the current counsel had a sufficient period of 151 days from her appointment on October 9 to the new sentencing date to prepare an effective case.
Prosecutors contended that Fiore appeared to be intentionally delaying the legal process. However, Armeni countered these claims by asserting that the defense is not seeking an indefinite postponement. Instead, she emphasized the necessity for adequate time to prepare for both the sentencing and post-trial motions, given the current deadline constraints.
Court records indicate that while the prosecution agreed to a 30-day extension for the sentencing deadline, the defense requested a more substantial 90-day delay. Ultimately, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey reached a compromise, granting a 60-day extension.
In her decision, Judge Dorsey noted that the timeline of this case has been relatively brief, as Fiore had exercised her right to a speedy trial, which proceeded as originally scheduled. While acknowledging the necessity of transcripts for preparation, she pointed out that they comprise only a portion of the overall case, which also includes readily available materials such as the defense counsel’s files and the court’s docket.
Source: KTNV
