DENVER (KDVR) — A former Mesa County postal worker was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with a ballot fraud scheme during the 2024 general election.

The Colorado Secretary of State's Office announced that Vicki Lyn Stuart, 64, was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading guilty to identity theft and elections forgery.

The 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office said she was sentenced to five years plus three years of parole for identity theft and two years in prison plus two years' parole for elections forgery. Both of these sentences will run concurrently, so she will serve a total of five years in the Department of Corrections.

This sentencing comes after two people were arrested after 16 ballots were stolen, filled out, signed and returned to a postal box.

The scheme was discovered during Colorado's signature verification process. The 21st District Attorney's Office said the investigation started after residents who never submitted a ballot or ever received a ballot in the mail were notified that their ballots were not being counted because of discrepancies with their signatures.

“Colorado elections are safe and secure, and our election laws will be enforced. We will not let anyone threaten our elections or disenfranchise Colorado voters. I will continue to stand up for our democracy and protect the right to vote," said Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

It was first found that at least 12 mailed ballots were stolen in Mesa County and sent in with fraudulent votes, three of which slipped past county election officials and were counted for the election. Because ballots themselves are not signed, once they are removed from the signature envelope, there is no way to identify them.

The secretary's office said the second person in the scheme, Sally Maxedon, will appear in court in July for a plea hearing and possible sentencing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.