Judge sentences election denier Tina Peters to nine years in prison

Former Mesa County employee Tina Peters, a vocal figure in the MAGA movement, was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison Colorado Judge Matthew Barrett strongly condemned their actions. Peters, 68, was convicted of tampering with voting machines and spreading false claims of voter fraud, part of a broader effort to undermine trust in the 2020 president Choice.

“You are not a hero. “You have abused your position, and you are a charlatan who has taken advantage of, and continues to take advantage of, your previous position in office to sell a snake oil that has proven time and time again to be crap,” Barrett told Peters in court. His comments came before she was sentenced to a combination of state prison and county prison.

The case stems from Peters’ unauthorized access to Mesa County voting equipment as an employee. She gained national attention as a vocal supporter of the former president Donald Trump’s false claims of election fraud, particularly related to Dominion Voting Systems, which have been repeatedly proven to be secure and accurate.

Peters maintained her innocence throughout the trial and sentencing. Before her sentence was announced, she tearfully pleaded for parole, citing her desire to continue caring for her elderly mother in Virginia. “I am not a criminal and I do not deserve to go to a prison where other people have committed heinous crimes,” she said, recalling her son, a Navy SEAL who died in the line of duty, showing her late husband’s court photos. She also claimed to feel remorse, telling the judge: “I am remorseful. Yes sir, I really am,” before denying responsibility.

Barrett, however, was unconvinced, saying, “I’m confident you would do it again if you could. “You are as defiant a defendant as this court has ever seen.” He described Peters’ continued denials and false claims as harmful to the community and noted, “You crave that attention, ma’am. Your world is all about you. This case was about your corrupt behavior and how no one is above that Law.”

The trial highlighted the extent of Peters’ involvement in compromising election equipment in Mesa County. Prosecutors detailed how Peters and others orchestrated a plan to grant unauthorized access to a man who then copied sensitive election data. This data later surfaced online at a symposium organized by Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, a prominent election denier.

The judge also addressed the damage Peters caused to the county’s reputation. “People across Colorado and other states have come to associate Mesa County not with our natural beauty or agriculture, but with the infamous actions of Ms. Peters. Your behavior has made this county a national laughingstock.”

Barrett also pointed to the broader implications of Peters’ actions. “They have no respect for the checks and balances of government. You have no respect for this court. You have no respect for law enforcement and you have no respect for your colleagues,” he said. He dismissed Peters’ claims that she was simply doing her job. “At the end of the day, you took care of the Jets, the podcast and the people fawning over you,” he said. “You have abandoned your position as a servant of the Constitution and chosen you over all others.”

In addition to the financial burden on Mesa County, Barrett highlighted the deeper harm caused by Peters’ actions, equating it to the effects of physical violence. “The harm that has been and continues to be caused is just as bad, if not worse, than the physical violence this court sees on a regular basis,” he said, noting Peters’ continued spread of election misinformation democracy represented a danger.

Barrett sentenced Peters to three and a half years in prison on four counts of running concurrently and an additional three and a half years on one count of running consecutively. She also received shorter sentences for several offenses, including six months in county jail, bringing her total sentence to nine years. The judge also ruled that she will serve three years of probation following her prison sentence.

Barrett’s words underscored the gravity of her actions: “You have betrayed your oath for no one but you. And that’s what makes Ms. Peters such a danger to our community.”

People on X, earlier Twitterpraised the judge and shared videos of his remarks.

“If you are frustrated by the slow pace of prosecution of those responsible for the Big Lie, you may, like me, find some satisfaction in hearing the judge lecture Tina Peters as he sentences her,” one person wrote.