Former Las Vegas police officer found guilty of using $70,000 from slain police officer memorial to pay for plastic surgery and daughter’s wedding

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman has been found guilty of pocketing $70,000 in donations intended for a memorial honoring murdered police officers – and then using the money to finance plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding.

A jury convicted 54-year-old Michele Fiore of six counts of federal wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each count is punishable by 20 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors alleged during the trial that Fiore raised over $70,000 for the statue of slain Las Vegas police officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo, who were killed in the line of duty, but used the money for personal expenses such as plastic surgery, rent and the wedding spent on her daughter.

“Michele Fiore took advantage of a tragedy to line her pockets,” said federal prosecutor Dahoud Askar.

Fiore remains free pending sentencing and her attorney, Michael Sanft, said she will appeal the verdict once the jury returns its verdict within hours.

“When people are that quick, they’ve usually already made up their minds before closing arguments, so it must have been some kind of statement that happened in the middle of the trial that caused most of them to say, ‘Oh, that’s it.’ everything we needed,” Gentle said.

Fiore’s home in northwest Las Vegas was raided by FBI agents in 2021 as part of what Sanft described as a “sloppy” investigation.

The Republican representative served one term in the Nevada Legislature from 2012 to 2016 and is a member of the Republican National Committee.

The ardent gun rights supporter lost a bid for state treasurer to Democrat Zach Conine in 2022.

As of this year, Fiore is one of two local justices of the peace in Pahrump, a rural area an hour outside Las Vegas. She has since been suspended from her post without pay.

Fiore will be sentenced on January 6th.

With post wires.