The alleged staging of a hate crime hoax during the Colorado Springs city election is leading to federal charges

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that three people have been indicted federally for allegedly orchestrating a hate crime hoax before last year's Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election. Two are in custody and one is on the run.

The federal indictment follows a lengthy investigation by the FBI and Colorado Springs Police into an incident on April 23, 2023, and a series of actions thereafter.

On that day in April, the three people allegedly set fire to a wooden cross in front of a campaign sign for a black mayoral candidate that had been defaced with a racial slur. The insult was apparently written on the sign by the accused, as the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in its indictment that spray paint was found in one of them's car.

“The three then allegedly spread false information about the event via an email from an anonymous source to various news and civic organizations,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote.

The goal, according to the indictment, was to spread disinformation that there was a vile group of racists who strongly opposed the black mayoral candidate and attempted to intimidate him.

Charges were brought against the following three people:

Derrick Bernard Jr., 35
Ashley Blackcloud, 40
Deanna West, 38

On Tuesday, Blackcloud made its first appearance before a federal judge in Denver. Bernard will soon appear in court for the first time. West is the refugee.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bernard, who goes by the nickname “Phoenixx Ugrilla,” appears to have been the mastermind of the plan. Before that April day he sent messages to the others saying:

I mobilize my squadron for defense and the final push. Black Ops style big brother.

He also said he was trying to “prevent the Klan from gaining political control of the city,” the release said.