Colorado Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Cross Burning Conspiracy
A 36-year-old man from Colorado Springs has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to burn a cross in front of a Black political candidate's campaign sign. Derrick Bernard was found guilty of conspiring to threaten or convey false information about a threat. The incident occurred just before the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election, where Bernard and his co-defendant, Ashley Blackcloud, targeted a campaign sign that had been defaced with a racial slur and attempted to frame the candidate's political opponent for the act.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Bernard had sent a message to the candidate 10 days before the cross burning, claiming he was "mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother." Following this message, Bernard texted Blackcloud, stating, "I got a plan." After the cross burning, the two individuals collaborated to distribute a video and a still photograph of the act, falsely implicating the candidate's political opponent in the crime.
The Colorado Springs Police Department uncovered the conspiracy by reviewing surveillance footage from the scene, which showed three individuals prowling in the area between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. to carry out the burning. Subsequent investigative work by the FBI Denver Field Office and local police identified Bernard and Blackcloud as the individuals involved in the incident. Both individuals were known as activists and social media personalities.
This information was gathered by journalists at WesternSlopeNow.com and has been reformatted using artificial intelligence tools for publication on our website. The report has been reviewed and fact-checked by our staff before being made available to the public.
In conclusion, the sentencing of Derrick Bernard for his role in the cross burning conspiracy highlights the serious consequences of such hateful and criminal acts. It serves as a reminder that actions aimed at inciting fear and division in communities will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.