The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has announced the conviction of Derrick Bernard Jr., 36, and Ashley Blackcloud, 40, by a federal jury. The two were found guilty of conspiring to threaten or convey false information about a threat after they burned a cross in front of a Black political candidate’s campaign sign that had been defaced with a racial slur. This act was publicized as part of their threatening activity. The incident occurred on April 23, 2023, shortly before the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election on May 16, 2023.
During the five-day trial, evidence showed that Bernard sent a message to the targeted candidate ten days prior to the cross burning. In this message, he claimed he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother” and then texted Blackcloud saying, “I got a plan.” Following the cross burning, Bernard and Blackcloud collaborated to send an email containing a video and photograph of the event to the candidate, media outlets, and various organizations. The email falsely accused the candidate's political opponent of being responsible for the crime. They further spread false information about the incident through social media platforms.
The conspiracy came to light when surveillance footage collected by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) showed three individuals staging the crime between 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning. Further investigation by CSPD and efforts by the FBI identified Bernard and Blackcloud as two of those involved.
Sentencing for Derrick Bernard is set for September 11, 2025, while Ashley Blackcloud will be sentenced on September 17, 2025. A co-defendant, Deanna West, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in March and is scheduled for sentencing on September 4, 2025.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with significant support from CSPD. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Candyce Cline are prosecuting this case.
