Deanna West, a 38-year-old resident of Colorado Springs, has pleaded guilty to charges related to a hate crime hoax. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that West admitted to one count of maliciously conveying false information about a threat involving fire—a burning cross placed in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur.
The plea agreement reveals that West conspired with Derrick Bernard Jr. and Ashley Blackcloud to disseminate false information about the incident. This took place during the 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral run-off election between two candidates: one Black and one white. Before the run-off, one defendant sent messages indicating plans to mobilize against perceived threats from "the klan" taking political control in the city. Bernard collaborated with Blackcloud and West to stage a cross burning at an intersection in Colorado Springs on April 23, 2023, targeting Candidate 1's campaign sign with racial defacement. The trio then allegedly circulated false details about the event via an anonymous email sent to various news outlets and civic organizations.
The hearing was overseen by United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez.
West is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2025, while her co-defendants await trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with significant support from the Colorado Springs Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Rebecca Weber are prosecuting the case.