LAS VEGAS — A former candidate for Nevada state treasurer has been suspended without pay from her position as a rural judge following a federal jury’s determination that she misappropriated funds meant for a tribute to a deceased Las Vegas police officer.

Michele Fiore’s employment status changed on Monday after a hearing conducted by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline the previous week. The commission had initially placed Fiore on a paid suspension after she was indicted in July on charges related to federal wire fraud and conspiracy.

Her attorney, Paola Armeni, did not reply to a request for comments on Tuesday.

On October 3, a jury found Fiore guilty after a trial that lasted a week at the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. Evidence presented to jurors revealed that Fiore had diverted around $70,000, which had been raised for a statue honoring one of the two police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in June 2014. The funds were reportedly used by Fiore for personal expenses, including cosmetic surgery, rent, and expenses related to her daughter’s wedding.

At 54 years old, Fiore has previously served as a member of the Nevada State Assembly and the Las Vegas City Council. She was appointed as a judge by Nye County officials in 2022 after losing her bid for state treasurer. She was subsequently elected in June to fill the remaining term of a judge who passed away. The town of Pahrump, where she served as a judge, is located about an hour’s drive from Las Vegas.

While she awaits sentencing scheduled for January 6, Fiore remains free but is facing the possibility of decades in federal prison. Following the trial verdict, her former lawyer indicated that she plans to appeal her conviction.

Fiore has garnered attention in the past for advocating gun rights and her support for Cliven Bundy, a proponent of states’ rights, during armed confrontations with federal authorities in Nevada in 2014 and at a wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016.