The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has indicted three individuals for allegedly staging a hate crime hoax intended to influence the outcome of the 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral election.

Derrick Bernard Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, attempted to create a racially charged incident involving a burning cross and a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur, according to a press release from the attorney’s office.

The incident occurred on April 23, 2023, when a wooden cross was set on fire in front of a defaced campaign sign for Yemi Mobolade, a Black mayoral candidate who was running against Wayne Williams, a White man.

The press release outlines how Bernard allegedly coordinated the incident with Blackcloud and West, issuing instructions through messages.

According to the indictment, the three defendants were charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat. The 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral run-off election involved Candidate 1, who was Black, and Candidate 2, who was white.  After the initial election but before the run-off, Bernard sent a message to the other defendants in which he explained he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother.” He also sent messages referencing a desire to prevent “the klan” from gaining political control of the city. Bernard then worked with Blackcloud and West to stage, at an intersection in the City of Colorado Springs in the early hours of April 23, 2023, a cross burning in front of a campaign sign for Candidate 1 defaced with a racial slur. The three then allegedly spread false information about the event through an email from an anonymous source to various news and civic organizations.

BREAKING: Colorado AG indicted 3 people for staging a fake racial hate crime in 2023 in which they defaced a campaign sign for then Colorado Springs Mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade, who is Black.

The hoaxers reportedly claimed in text messages that they carried out the hoax in… pic.twitter.com/l3qovXQywE

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 14, 2024

The hoaxers reportedly claimed in text messages that they carried out the hoax in order to prevent "the klan" from gaining political control. Yami's opponent in the election was Wayne Williams, a white man. 

Yami went on to win the election and become Mayor. 

Every. Single. Time.

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The defendants are accused of trying to sow racial tension and make it appear as if racists in the city were trying to intimidate the Black candidate and Black resident, according to Denver 7 News. The objective was to portray Mobolade as a victim in order to gin up support for his campaign

FBI investigators found spray paint similar to that used on the campaign sign in a vehicle owned by one of the defendants. The report noted that the authorities found that the defendants were affiliated with a local organization called Family Flavors the Slide, a “minority-owned independent broadcasting and multi-media organization.”

Mobolade, who is not believed to have been part of the plot, weighed in on the incident, highlighting how it affected him and his family. “That incident during my campaign led to a very traumatic time for my family, my campaign team, and our community,” he told Denver 7.

Blackcloud made her first federal court appearance in Denver on Tuesday while Bernard, currently in state custody on unrelated charges, will appear in federal court after he is transferred. West remains at large and is considered a fugitive.