A Fresno hairstylist says Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco tailed his vehicle for about 25 minutes before blocking him in and confronting him outside a relative's home, convinced he was an immigration enforcement agent. Eric Bridges says he has never worked for ICE or the Department of Homeland Security, and his attorney has now filed complaints asking authorities to investigate the mayor for possible stalking and false imprisonment.
According to KMPH Fox 26, Bridges says an orange vehicle began following him near Kearney Park on October 14 and trailed him for roughly 25 minutes as he drove into Fresno. He says the driver blocked his vehicle, photographed it, and then confronted him outside his sister's home. Per his complaint, the driver — whom he identifies as Pacheco — told him, “I'm looking for ICE and you look like ICE,” according to The Fresno Bee.
Bridges maintains he has no connection to ICE or federal immigration enforcement whatsoever, the station's report notes. His attorney, Roger Bonakdar of Roger Law, says video footage supports the allegations and submitted complaints Monday to the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit, seeking an investigation into possible violations.
Attorney Says Threats Followed the Confrontation
Bonakdar did not mince words in describing the mayor's alleged conduct, per the same account: Pacheco “is not a peace officer and has no business role-playing as one for social media clout or political favor.” He added that Bridges was seriously harmed and would pursue every available avenue for justice.
Bonakdar also said Bridges has since received threats from people who believe he works for ICE, a consequence he attributes directly to the confrontation. The Fresno Bee separately reported that Bridges has received threats against him since the alleged encounter with the Kerman mayor.
Pacheco Calls the Complaint Ridiculous
Pacheco told The Fresno Bee on Monday that Bridges' complaint against her is “ridiculous” and said she is willing to go to court over the matter. As of publication, she had not been criminally charged in connection with the allegations, and it remains unknown whether authorities have opened an investigation or filed charges, according to GV Wire.
The confrontation with Bridges is not Pacheco's first public clash tied to immigration enforcement. KMPH reported that a video of Pacheco confronting apparent ICE agents outside a Kerman bakery earlier in October drew roughly 98,000 views on Facebook. In that earlier incident, Pacheco said she went to La Princesa Real Bakery after receiving a call that agents were outside and had detained four customers, according to Yahoo News; she said one of those detained was later released because he had lawful immigration status, per a separate Fresno Bee report.
A Contested Race for County Supervisor
The allegations arrive as Pacheco campaigns for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors' District 1 seat against Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi. She finished second to Karbassi in the June primary, 8,046 votes to 7,008, according to Fresnoland. The two face off in the November 3 election for the seat, per Yahoo News's earlier report on the race.
For now, the case rests on dueling characterizations — a hairstylist and his attorney alleging stalking and false imprisonment, and a sitting mayor calling the claim ridiculous and vowing to fight it in court. No release has announced criminal charges or investigative findings in the matter.
