By Free Republic | Created at 2024-11-14 19:15:27 | Updated at 2024-11-22 18:44:43
1 week ago
3 facing federal charges of allegations of staging hate crime hoax during 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral race
KKTV ^ | Nov. 13, 2024 | Lindsey Grewe
Posted on 11/14/2024 11:13:36 AM PST by george76
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Three people are now facing federal charges for allegedly staging a hate crime during the Colorado Springs mayoral race in 2023.
In the early morning hours of April 23, 2023, a burning cross in front a campaign sign for then-candidate Yemi Mobolade was found at the intersection of Union and Fillmore. The sign had been defaced with a racial slur.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado (USAOC) now says the entire scene was a hoax, intended to make citizens think that there was a group of racists in Colorado Springs strongly opposed to a Black mayoral candidate.
In a news release Tuesday, the USAOC announced 35-year-old Derrick Bernard Jr., 40-year-old Ashley Blackcloud, and 38-year-old Deanna West had been indicted by a grand jury for their “maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire” and “their alleged roles in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat.”
In the indictment obtained by 11 News, the USAOC states the trio started plotting in early April 2023, the day after a runoff election was announced in the mayoral race, with Mobolade and Wayne Williams the projected candidates. The indictment included a series of emails it alleges were from the three suspects:
...
Both Mobolade and Williams strongly condemned the display at the time.
The USAOC says Bernard, Blackcloud and West were indicted following a lengthy investigation by the FBI and Colorado Springs Police Department. Blackcloud made her first appearance in federal court Tuesday, with Bernard expected to follow suit after he is transferred from state custody into federal custody.
West has not been located.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 11/14/2024 11:13:36 AM PST by george76
To: george76
2 posted on 11/14/2024 11:14:16 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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