A jury in Mesa County found Tina Peters guilty on Monday of seven out of ten criminal charges tied to a security breach that happened in the elections office she managed as the clerk and recorder in the spring of 2021. The verdict came shortly after the closing arguments in the case.
Peters was convicted of three felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one felony count of criminal impersonation, one misdemeanor count of official misconduct, one misdemeanor count of violation of duty in elections, and one misdemeanor count of failure to comply with the secretary of state. She was acquitted of two felony counts of criminal impersonation and one felony count of identity theft.
Following the verdict, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold issued a statement emphasizing that Peters had deliberately compromised election equipment in an effort to support unfounded election fraud claims. Griswold added that the jury’s decision serves as a clear indication that the integrity of elections will be protected.
An investigation by Griswold’s office began in August 2021 after it was revealed that sensitive election system data from Mesa County had been posted online. In 2022, a grand jury accused Peters of facilitating unauthorized access to the elections department in May 2021, during a period of software updates, allowing unauthorized individuals to copy sensitive election equipment data.
Prosecutors claimed that Peters conspired with various election deniers and their associates to undermine the credibility of the election process. Peters did not provide a comment after the verdict, stating she would address the media later.
During the eight-day trial, prosecutor Robert Shapiro articulated how Peters opened her office to enable security breaches. He described the scheme as multilayered deceit, involving multiple accomplices who sought to undermine public trust in the election system.
Among those involved was Kurt Olsen, linked to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, known for advancing conspiracy theories about elections. Shapiro highlighted Peters’ willingness to assist Olsen and others in their efforts, further compromising the integrity of her office.
Evidence presented disclosed that Peters allowed an unauthorized person, Conan Hayes, to manipulate election system data under the guise of being a county employee. Surveillance systems were disabled around the time of the breach, raising further concerns.
Defense attorneys, however, attempted to depict one of the co-conspirators, Gerald Wood, as a willing participant in the scheme, which prosecutors denied. Shapiro labeled other claims made during the defense’s closing arguments as unsupported by credible evidence.
The prosecution presented further evidence of Peters instructing staff regarding the use of disposable phones and encrypted communications, which heightened the suspicion against her actions.
Notably, the defense argued Peters acted protectively, maintaining she thought Hayes was a government agent. However, prosecutors contended that her actions constituted a significant breach of trust and responsibility related to election integrity.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser commented on the verdict, thanking the prosecution team for their diligence in the challenging case. He warned that any attempts to tamper with elections would lead to serious repercussions.
Sentencing for Peters is scheduled for October 3.