Tina Peters, Former Colorado Election Clerk, Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Tampering with Voting Equipment. GOLDEN, Colorado — On October 17, 2024, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to nine years in state prison following her conviction for four felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation, conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, and identity theft. The incident occurred in 2021 when Peters allegedly allowed an unauthorized third party to access and copy confidential data from election voting machine hard drives, in what prosecutors described as a breach of public trust aimed at promoting election security conspiracy theories. Peters maintained her innocence during the proceedings, claiming she was trying to expose vulnerabilities in voting systems, but Judge Matthew Barrett ruled that her actions compromised election integrity and endangered public confidence in the democratic process. Authorities have confirmed that the investigation into the case was led by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and Peters must self-surrender to state authorities within thirty days to begin her sentence. The outcome has drawn national attention to the legal consequences of election interference.