A Mesa County jury found Tina Peters guilty on Monday of seven out of ten criminal charges connected to a security breach at the elections office she managed as the clerk and recorder. The verdict came just hours after closing arguments were presented.
Peters was convicted on three felony charges of attempting to influence a public servant, one felony charge of criminal impersonation, one misdemeanor charge of official misconduct, one misdemeanor charge related to elections violations, and one misdemeanor charge of failure to comply with the secretary of state’s directives. She was cleared of two felony charges of criminal impersonation and one felony charge of identity theft.
Following the verdict, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold issued a statement emphasizing that Peters had intentionally compromised election equipment to support false claims about the 2020 election. Griswold remarked that the verdict serves as a strong message against threats to election security in Colorado.
The investigation into Peters began in August 2021 when it was discovered that sensitive election system data from Mesa County had been shared online. In 2022, a grand jury indicted Peters for facilitating unauthorized access to the elections department, where individuals copied election software and retrieved confidential information during an equipment software update.
Prosecutors noted that Peters collaborated with various individuals, including election conspiracy theorists and associates of former President Donald Trump, in the scheme to prove that the election equipment was compromised.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that Peters knowingly allowed unauthorized personnel access to secure areas and misled employees and officials in the process. Evidence included testimonies and financial transactions aimed at concealing the breach.
The defense characterized Peters as a dedicated public servant who acted out of a belief that she was protecting election integrity. However, prosecutors contended that her actions were driven by self-interest and a desire for notoriety.
Key figures in the conspiracy included individuals who sought to promote unfounded election fraud claims. Concerns were raised about the credibility of witnesses, including a claim that Peters had facilitated misleading representations to obtain security clearance for unauthorized persons.
Sentencing for Peters is scheduled for October 3. The Colorado Attorney General affirmed the importance of the verdict as a warning to anyone who might consider undermining the integrity of the state’s election systems.