California Mayor Accused of Following, Harassing Hairstylist, Mistaking Him for ICE Agent

Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco has been accused of following a hairstylist for 25 minutes, boxing in his car, and questioning him before alleging he resembled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The alleged incident occurred on October 14, and the hairstylist, Eric Bridges, has filed a complaint against Pacheco with the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

Bridges stated in his complaint that Pacheco followed him in her vehicle, circled his car in a park, and then followed him to his sister's home in Fresno. Surveillance footage from the sister's residence reportedly shows Pacheco's car circling a cul-de-sac before stopping near Bridges's vehicle. In the video, Bridges can be heard asking Pacheco if he looked like an ICE agent. He also inquired if she was with the police or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

According to Bridges's complaint, Pacheco responded, "Don't worry about who I am, I'm someone important." He also claims she said, "I'm looking for ICE, and you look like ICE," and that he was "in [her] hood driving an unmarked car." Bridges expressed his astonishment at the accusation, stating he was "absolutely astounded by the accusation that I resemble an immigration officer."

After Bridges denied being an ICE agent, he alleges Pacheco gave him the middle finger and sped away. A video recorded by Bridges appears to show Pacheco driving off.

Pacheco has called the accusations "ridiculous" and stated, "If he wants to go to court, then we’ll go to court. That’s all I can say." The Daily Mail has contacted Bridges's attorney and Pacheco for further comment.

Bridges believes Pacheco's actions were a bid to gain political favor, citing a previous video the mayor posted on Facebook. In that video, Pacheco identifies herself as the mayor of Kerman and tells an apparent ICE agent, "you're not welcome in my city." That video reportedly garnered 98,000 views.

Pacheco is currently running for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. Bridges and his attorney, Roger Bonakdar, suggest that Pacheco may have been attempting to stage a confrontation for social media clout and political gain, potentially leading to threats against Bridges. Bonakdar indicated that Bridges is seeking an investigation into Pacheco for potential charges of stalking and false imprisonment, aiming for "full accountability."

As of Tuesday, no criminal charges have been filed in relation to the incident.