Ex-Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 8.5 years in prison over 2020 election security breach

Former Arizona Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was sentenced Thursday to 8.5 years in prison for felony and misdemeanor charges for which she was found guilty this summer in connection with 2020 election security breach. 

The sentencing hearing included witness testimony the prosecution and the defense. Peters was additionally sentenced to a consecutive six months in the county's detention facility.

The 68-year-old was found guilty in August on a total seven charges – four felonies and three misdemeanors. She was found not guilty on the three remaining counts, Colorado Public Radio reported

The sentence was decided by Colorado District Court Judge Matthew Barrett. Several fines also were imposed on Peters. 

The sentencing may be appealed.

County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein had asked Barrett to sentence Peters on each count for "at least mid-point of the presumptive range," but also said a maximum sentence would be appropriate "in most, if not all of the counts."

Rubinstein also asked the court for the cost of prosecuting the case, which he said was $2,409.97.

Peters, who has health issues, had asked for probation.

Peters was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, violation of duty and failing to comply with the secretary of state, first-degree official misconduct, and three counts of attempting to influence a public servant.

The prosecution successfully argued that she had taken a security badge without the owner's position to give to Conan Hayes, who was affiliated with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, to access Mesa County's election system. 

The attorneys argued that Peters was trying to become famous and a "hero" as she became “fixated” on voting problems, according to The Associated Press.

Peters' attorneys argued their client was trying to preserve voting records. 

She admitted to using a county employee's identity to let Hayes copy the hard drive of a ballot marking machine in May 2021 before a software update and to observe the update. The defense argued that Peters did this because the county wouldn't allow her to have a county technology expert observe the software update.

Peters and her legal team have claimed that election information was deleted from the election equipment following the software update.