Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for election tampering

Oct 3, 2024
Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was sentenced Thursday to eight and a half years in prison after being convicted of several felony charges in an election computer breach case. After that sentence is complete, she will serve six months in jail, for a total of nine years behind bars.

"Your lies are well documented, and these convictions are serious," 21st Judicial District Judge Matthew Barrett told Peters at her sentencing. "I'm convinced you would do it all over again if you could. You're as defiant as a defendant as this court has ever seen."

Peters has said she is innocent, a claim she repeated even after a jury convicted her of seven out of 10 charges in August. She has shown off her ankle monitor on her podcast.

"You are no hero. You abused your position and you're a charlatan who used, and is still using, your prior position in office to peddle a snake oil that's been proven to be junk time and time again in your world," Barrett told Peters.

The jury found Peters guilty on the following charges:

Three counts of attempt to influence a public servant
One count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation
One count of official misconduct
One count of violation of duty
One count of failure to comply with secretary of state requirements

Peters faced a maximum of up to roughly 20 years in prison.