Abad Sandoval Gonzalez said he did nothing wrong when he donned a vest that police later said was meant to look like law enforcement and entered businesses at the River Park shopping center in February.

“I was falsely arrested by Fresno Police, northeast policing division, because they said that I was impersonating an ICE agent when I was clearly not. I was just exercising my First Amendment right to record in public,” Gonzalez told GV Wire moments after he publicly revealed himself last week.

The Fresno Police Department begs to differ, arresting Gonzalez and Thomas Joel Avila for impersonating a police officer on Feb. 26.

Police accused Gonzalez and Avila of impersonating ICE agents, “harassing customers at eleven different businesses.” They were cited and released.

Gonzalez — known online as “KC Camera Boy” and “Kern County Transparency” — insists that wearing the vests isn’t illegal. He said police confiscated three phones and two cameras, which have not been returned.

His Facebook profile said he went to school at several Kern County colleges but lives in Salt Lake City.

A sampling of online videos posted to his social media pages show cinema verite-style interactions with public officials and law enforcement. Most appear to be confrontational. The alleged incidents in Fresno on Feb. 26 do not appear to be posted.

Fresno Police Lt. Bill Dooley said the department will submit charges to the district attorney’s office, but they have not been filed yet. The official charges are impersonating a peace officer, and obstructing a peace officer.

Motivations Behind Reveal

Police declined to release their names at the time, not wanting the to give the pair any notoriety.

Gonzalez took it upon himself, speaking publicly at last week’s Fresno City Council meeting. He complained about his arrest — at the shopping center at the northeast corner of Blackstone and Nees avenues — and City Councilmember Miguel Arias.

Arias criticized the “fake” ICE agents actions in the local media.

“He is the type of politician that makes us Hispanics look bad. And that’s the reason why Trump hates politicians like that,” Gonzalez told GV Wire after the meeting.

Gonzalez said “freedom” and “the people” motivated him to go public.

“I’m an activist. I fight for people’s rights, civil rights, and human and immigrant rights as well,” Gonzalez said. “I go to a lot of places that have contracts with the government.”

Gonzalez said he would not disclose which stores he and Avila visited, nor what his interactions were like with River Park businesses, but said people came up to them saying hi.

Police said Gonzalez and his partner wore vests made to look like ICE. They also carried fake media credentials.

“Do they have to be real?” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez then said those were not his media credentials.

Bonta Speaks Out on Fake Agents

California Attorney General released a statement March 18 about reports of fake ICE agents.

“If you seek to scam or otherwise take advantage of California’s immigrant communities, you will be held accountable. My office will continue to ensure our laws are fully enforced and the rights of California’s immigrants are respected and protected,” Bonta said.

Gonzalez said “that would be great.”