District Lawyer Dan Rubinstein introduced Wednesday morning that Peters faces 10 counts, together with 3 legal counts of making an attempt to persuade a public servant, two legal counts of conspiracy to dedicate felony impersonation, one legal depend of id robbery, and misdemeanor counts for first-degree legitimate misconduct, violation of accountability and failing to conform to necessities of the Colorado secretary of state.
Knisley faces six counts, together with 3 legal counts of making an attempt to persuade a public servant, one legal depend of conspiracy to dedicate felony impersonation, and misdemeanor counts for violation of accountability and failing to conform to the necessities of the secretary of state.
Warrants had been issued for Peters’ and Knisley’s arrests. Either one of their bonds had been set at $500,000 money best. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in an emailed observation Wednesday night time that Peters had grew to become herself in to the Mesa County Detention Facility. Knisley has been booked into the Mesa County Prison, in keeping with sheriff’s place of job spokesperson Megan Terlecky.
“The day gone by, the Mesa County grand jury returned an indictment after the presentation of proof in an ongoing investigation into the alleged election gadget breach in Mesa County,” Rubinstein and Colorado Lawyer Common Phil Weiser mentioned in a observation. “The grand jury, randomly decided on from the similar pool of voters that elected Clerk Tina Peters and selected months earlier than any of those alleged offenses befell, concluded there may be possible motive that Clerk Peters and Deputy Clerk Knisley dedicated crimes.”
“The use of criminal muscle to indict political combatants all over an election is not new technique, however it is more uncomplicated to execute in case you have a district lawyer who despises President Trump and any constitutional conservative like myself who continues to call for all election proof be made to be had to the general public,” she mentioned.
CNN has reached out to lawyers for Peters and Knisley for remark at the indictments.
A district pass judgement on set new bond phrases for the ladies Thursday after listening to arguments from Rubenstein and their lawyers. Peters’ bond used to be set as a $25,000 money surety bond that will have to be paid via her and now not a 3rd birthday party. She isn’t allowed to have touch with Knisley, the sufferers discussed in her legal indictment or any worker within the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder place of job. She additionally will have to flip over her passport and will have to search the court docket’s permission earlier than touring out of doors Colorado.
The pass judgement on set Knisley’s non-public recognizance bond at $10,000. She additionally isn’t allowed to have touch with Peters, the alleged sufferers or workers within the Clerk and Recorder Workplace, apart from for a circle of relatives member who works within the place of job.
The sheriff’s place of job showed Thursday that Knisley and Peters were launched on bond.
Each girls are scheduled to be arraigned on Would possibly 24.
Starting in April 2021, in keeping with the indictment, prematurely of a Would possibly 25-26, 2021, depended on construct of balloting machines, Peters and Knisley “devised and performed a misleading scheme” to persuade public servants, breach safety protocols, exceed permissible get admission to to balloting apparatus, and set in movement the eventual distribution of confidential knowledge to unauthorized folks. A “depended on construct” is “the starting place of the chain-of-custody for any tool and firmware part of the balloting gadget,” in keeping with the indictment.
In a observation launched after the indictment, Griswold mentioned Peters’ movements “constituted one of the vital country’s first insider threats the place an legitimate, elected to uphold loose, truthful, and safe picks risked the integrity of the election gadget so that you could end up unfounded conspiracy theories.
“Each eligible Coloradan — Republican, Democrat, and Unaffiliated alike — has the fitting to make their voice heard in protected, out there, and safe elections,” added Griswold. “To do this, we want election directors who’re dedicated to following the legislation and election regulations. Officers tasked with sporting out elections achieve this in public accept as true with and will have to be held responsible once they abuse their energy or place.”
On Friday, Peters is scheduled to look in a Mesa County court docket on two separate fees of obstructing a peace officer and obstructing executive operations when she used to be arrested via Grand Junction police at a neighborhood trade in early February.
This tale has been up to date with further tendencies Thursday.
CNN’s Paul Murphy contributed to this record.
