Pro-Trump Official Could Face Years in Prison for Election Security Breach

Tina Peters, former Mesa county clerk and a prominent Republican figure in election denial circles, was found guilty Monday of seven of 10 charges in a 2021 breach of Colorado's election system.

The verdict, reached after four hours of jury deliberation, concludes a high-profile trial that has helped thrust election security concerns into the national spotlight.

Peters, 68, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public official; conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; official misconduct; violation of duty; and failure to comply with an order by the secretary of state.

The jury acquitted her on three other charges: conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, criminal impersonation and identity theft.

The trial, which began July 30 with jury selection in Colorado's solidly Republican Mesa County, where Trump secured nearly 63 percent of the vote in 2020, spanned eight days of testimony. It centered on events from May 2021, when Peters was accused of orchestrating a breach of election security equipment.

Prosecutors argued that Peters allowed an unauthorized person to use a borrowed security badge to access and copy the hard drive of a Dominion Voting Systems computer. They also said that surveillance footage was disabled during the act. The breach came to light afterward, when confidential passwords were posted online.

The case gained national attention in August 2021 when Peters attended a "cybersymposium" hosted by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. At the event, guests reported that a "copy" of the Mesa County voting system's hard drive was distributed, and a version was posted online.

Throughout the trial, Peters' defense team attempted to portray her actions as part of her official duties as county clerk. They argued that she was fulfilling her responsibility to preserve election results before a system update. However, this strategy ultimately failed to convince the jury on most counts.

The implications of this case extend far beyond Mesa County. Experts have condemned the unauthorized release of the hard drive, warning that it could provide a "practice environment" for exploiting election system vulnerabilities in the future.

Two of Peters' closest colleagues, former chief deputy Belinda Knisley and ex-elections manager Sandra Brown, testified against her after accepting plea deals. Their testimony likely played a crucial role in the jury's decision.

Judge Matthew Barrett had previously ruled that Peters could not present herself as a whistleblower or frame the case around election integrity or Dominion during the trial, focusing instead on the specific charges at hand.

The verdict was delivered in a reportedly tense courtroom, heavily guarded by Mesa County sheriff's deputies. Peters, who remained stoic as the verdict was read, now faces potential years in prison.

Sentencing has been scheduled for October 3 where she could face up to 20 years if handed the maximum prison term for all crimes.