Mesa County Clerk and Colorado Republican candidate for secretary of state Tina Peters reacts to early election returns throughout a major night time watch occasion on the Broad Open Saloon on June 28, 2022 in Sedalia, Colorado.
Marc Piscotty | Getty Photos
Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk who espoused the false conspiracy idea that former President Donald Trump misplaced the 2020 election resulting from poll fraud, was sentenced Thursday to 9 years in jail for crimes associated to a breach of her county’s voting system.
“You might be no hero,” state District Court docket Decide Matthew Barrett informed Peters. “You are a charlatan who used and continues to be utilizing your prior place in workplace to hawk a snake oil that is been confirmed to be junk time and time once more.”
“Your lies are nicely documented, and these convictions are severe. “I am satisfied you’d do it another time in case you may,” Barrett informed the previous Mesa County clerk.
“You are as defiant a defendant as this court docket has ever seen.”
Peters, who had requested probation, informed the choose earlier than being sentenced, “I’ve by no means executed something with malice to interrupt the regulation. I’ve solely wished to serve the individuals of Mesa County.
Prosecutors had requested Barrett to condemn he to the utmost potential sentence: 20 years behind bars.
She was instantly taken into custody after Barrett rejected her lawyer’s request that she stay free.
Peters, 68, was convicted by a trial jury in August of seven felony counts, together with try to affect a public servant, conspiracy to commit felony impersonation, violation of obligation, and failure to adjust to secretary of state necessities.
Tina Peters, former Mesa County, Colo., clerk, listens throughout her trial, Friday, March 3, 2023, in Grand Junction, Colo.
Scott Crabtree | AP
She was accused of utilizing one other individual’s safety badge to permit another person to realize entry to her county’s election system.
The one that used that badge was affiliated with Mike Lindell, the CEO of My Pillow and a number one proponent of the declare that Trump’s defeat for a second time period was resulting from poll fraud.
Peters had falsely accused Dominion Voting Methods, which made Mesa County’s election system, of taking part within the purported scheme towards Trump.