Three people face hate crime charges ahead of the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election

DENVER — Three people have been indicted on federal charges after allegedly orchestrating a hate crime hoax ahead of the 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado said Tuesday.

Derrick Bernard, Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, were each charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and use of fire to intimidate, according to our sister station KOAA News5 in Colorado Springs.

The charges stem from the 2023 mayoral runoff election in Colorado Springs between Yemi Mobolade, a Black man, and Wayne Williams, a white man. Mobolade would win the election.

Mobolade and Williams were not named in the indictment or the announcement. Instead, Mobolade was identified as Candidate 1, while Williams was identified as Candidate 2.

Bernard, Blackcloud and West were associated with a group called Family Flavors the Slide, which “marketed itself as “An independent, minority-owned broadcasting and multimedia organization,” according to News5.

According to the United States Attorney's Office (USAO), after the first election but before the runoff, Bernard sent a message to Blackcloud and West that he was “mobilizing my force to defend myself.” Big Brother, Black Ops style.” According to the USAO, he also referred to a desire to prevent “the Klan” from gaining political control of Colorado Springs.

In the early hours of April 23, 2023, the three allegedly placed a burning cross in front of a Mobolade campaign sign that had been defaced with a racial slur. The three then allegedly spread false information about the event to multiple news and civic organizations. News5 was one of the news organizations that obtained video of the fire.

According to News5's Alasyn Zimmerman, the indictment states that Bernard once sent Mobolade a message on social media that he was “mobilizing his squadron.”

“I know it's crunch time, sir, but look. . . I spoke to some of my friends in other places and with them [sic] an action in the middle. . . I mobilize my squadron for defense and the final push. Black Ops style big brother. The Klan must not be allowed to rule this city again.”

Zimmerman reports that the indictment does not say whether Mobolade responded to the message or whether Family Flavors the Slide was connected to his campaign.

Blackcloud made its first appearance in federal court in Denver on Tuesday. Bernard is in state custody and will appear in federal court after he is transferred to federal custody. The USAO said investigators were searching for West, who is considered a fugitive.

News5 contacted Mobolade's office for comment and was told the mayor was out of town.