Ashley Blackcloud, a 40-year-old resident of Colorado Springs, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison following her conviction for involvement in a staged hate crime incident. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez after a jury found Blackcloud guilty in May 2025.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Blackcloud and co-defendant Derrick Bernard were convicted on charges related to conspiring to threaten or convey false information about a threat. The case centered on an incident where a burning cross was placed in front of a Black political candidate’s campaign sign that had also been defaced with a racial slur. Following the staged event, Blackcloud, Bernard, and another convicted co-conspirator used email and social media to publicize the act ahead of the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election.
Evidence presented during trial revealed that ten days before the cross burning, Bernard messaged the targeted candidate saying he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother,” then immediately texted Blackcloud, “I got a plan.” After carrying out the cross burning on April 23, 2023, Bernard and Blackcloud collaborated to send an email—with attached video and photo evidence—to the candidate as well as various media outlets and organizations. The email falsely attributed responsibility for the crime to the candidate’s political opponent. The defendants also spread false information about the event through social media channels.
The conspiracy came to light after an investigation by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), which reviewed surveillance footage from around the scene during early morning hours when three individuals were observed staging the act. Further investigative efforts by CSPD and extensive work by federal authorities led to identifying Bernard and Blackcloud as two of those responsible.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted its own investigation with substantial support from CSPD. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Candyce Cline prosecuted this case.
Sentencing for Derrick Bernard is set for March 2026.
