While sentencing former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters to nine years in prison for her part in trying to help Donald Trump overturn the 2020 presidential election, a judge blasted the Republican ex-official as a "charlatan" who was "as defiant a defendant as this court has ever seen."
"You are no hero," District Court Judge Matthew Barrett unloaded on 68-year-old Peters Thursday, according to CNBC News. "You're a charlatan who used and is still using your prior position in office to peddle a snake oil that's been proven to be junk time and time again."
"Your lies are well documented, and these convictions are serious," he continued. "I'm convinced you'd do it all over again if you could."
Peters used another person's security badge to give someone with ties to My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell access to Mesa County's election system.
The ex-county clerk was handed down a nearly decade-long sentence after she was convicted of three felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one felony count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, one misdemeanor count of official misconduct, one misdemeanor count of violation of duty in elections, and one misdemeanor count of failure to comply with the secretary of state, according to the Colorado Newsline.
"You are a privileged person. You are as privileged as they come. You used that for power and fame," Barrett chastised.
"I've never done anything with malice to break the law," Peters told Barrett in response to her sentence, according to CNBC. "I've only wanted to serve the people of Mesa County."
Peters was immediately remanded to jail.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said Peters' punishment was a result of "her dangerous attempts to break into her own election equipment to prove Trump's 'Big Lie,'" according to a statement. "We will not allow anyone to threaten our elections."
