Colorado Man Receives Prison Sentence for Orchestrating Cross-Burning Election Hoax
A Colorado Springs resident has been handed a prison sentence of nearly four years following a disturbing cross-burning incident that was deliberately staged as a desperate ploy to influence a mayoral election. Derrick Bernard, aged 36, was sentenced on April 1 after being found guilty on conspiracy charges related to burning a cross in front of a campaign sign for a black political candidate, which had been defaced with a racial slur, according to the US Attorney's Office.
Elaborate Scheme to Frame Political Opponent
Bernard conspired with his wife, Ashley Blackcloud, 40, to execute the cross burning with the explicit intention of framing Wayne Williams, a white candidate who was competing against Mayor Yemi Mobolade in a runoff election. The elaborate scheme was designed to assist Mobolade's campaign by creating the false appearance that Williams had perpetrated the hate crime. Following the incident, Bernard and Blackcloud disseminated the shocking image across their social media profiles, emailed it directly to Mobolade, and distributed it to various media outlets.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Bernard had previously sent a message to Mobolade stating, 'mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother.' He subsequently texted Blackcloud, 'I got a plan. The klan cannot be allowed to run this city again.' While cross burning is protected under the First Amendment, prosecutors successfully argued that this specific demonstration constituted a genuine threat to Mobolade and his family.
Profound Impact on Mayor and Family
Mayor Mobolade provided compelling testimony in court, describing how the incident forced him and his wife to cease walking their children to school due to legitimate fears for their safety. He further disclosed that his wife began experiencing nightmares about their home being set ablaze, prompting the family to purchase an escape ladder as a precautionary measure. 'I don’t believe any family should have to live like that,' Mobolade stated emphatically. The mayor categorically denied any involvement in the cross-burning scheme, asserting that extreme activists had exploited his candidacy during the election period.
Timing and Execution of the Crime
Prosecutors emphasized the critical timing of the demonstration, which occurred mere days before the pivotal mayoral election. Mobolade and Williams were engaged in a runoff after neither candidate secured a majority in the general election held on April 4, 2023, leading to a scheduled runoff on May 16. According to a federal indictment, one day after the general election, Bernard texted Blackcloud requesting an in-person meeting, noting 'not talking on the phone bout nothing that's bout to happen.' On April 13, Bernard messaged Blackcloud again on Facebook, writing, 'I can’t let the klan retake the city.'
On April 23, Bernard, Blackcloud, and an accomplice named Deanna West vandalized Mobolade's campaign sign with a racial slur, erected a wooden cross in front of it, and set it ablaze. They recorded the act and distributed the video footage to local news outlets. Investigators successfully traced the Gmail account used to spread the video and recovered surveillance footage capturing three individuals staging the crime between 2:30 and 3:30 AM.
Social Media Amplification and Subsequent Sentences
After the video gained traction, the conspirators actively promoted it on social media. West commented on a post sharing the video, stating, 'This is completely uncalled for, I'm disgusted at this.' Bernard posted a link to the video on his Facebook page with the threatening message: 'Respectfully if I find out personally... Someone will drown... Period.' Bernard received his sentence while already serving time for a separate, unrelated crime—a 2024 conviction for orchestrating the killing of a man named William Underwood.
Ashley Blackcloud was sentenced in January to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to threaten or convey false information about a threat. Deanna West pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy under a plea agreement and received three years of probation in September. Mayor Mobolade, who ultimately won the runoff election to become Colorado Springs' first black and non-Republican mayor, is now campaigning for re-election and stated in court that he would exercise greater caution in the future.
