FBI searches Madera Proud Boy’s home after he filmed himself at Capitol insurrection
Investigators with the FBI were seen Friday at the Madera home of Eddie Block, a Proud Boy who was present at the insurrection in Washington, D.C.
Agents showed up around noon and were seen going in and out of the home on East Cleveland Avenue for more than four hours, according to neighbors and other witnesses who stopped their cars to watch. FBI personnel were accompanied by a Madera County Sheriff’s detective and at least one Madera Police officer.
The investigators were present at the same address Block listed as his home address when he lost his race for county supervisor last year. While he was a candidate, he was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his vehicle into a house.
The Bee spoke with two people who watched investigators work from a distance. The Bee agreed not to identify the witnesses because they feared for their safety. One person provided The Bee with photos of investigators in the front yard of Block’s home.
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office public information officer confirmed the sheriff’s office was made aware that the FBI served a search warrant in Madera County on Friday, but the public information officer could not provide any further information.
The FBI did not respond to requests for comment.
Witnesses said Friday they didn’t see investigators arrest Block. They watched him in his front yard after authorities left his home.
Block filmed himself at the rally for former President Donald Trump and the following storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. In the video, Block is seen wearing a Proud Boys patch and at one point he tells his audience, “We’re storming the Capitol, guys.” He stayed on a Capitol balcony long after most of the rioters dispersed. Capitol police offered to help him down the steps since he uses a scooter, but he declined.
Since the day of the insurrection, some of Block’s videos were removed from social media. His videos at Trump’s rally remain, including one where he meets Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist and conservative radio host.
Five people at the insurrection, including a police officer, died as a result of injuries or medical conditions. Trump’s supporters stormed the building while Congress voted to certify the results of the presidential election.
The Proud Boys are a fascist, white supremacist group that often engages in violent clashes at political rallies. Since the day of the insurrection, numerous Proud Boys leaders have been arrested.
Block wasn’t the only Valley resident present at the U.S. Capitol the day of the insurrection.
Sierra Unified Trustee James Hoak also filmed himself there and since faced calls and a petition for his resignation from the school board. He refused to resign.
Other Fresno County residents who were present at the insurrection include Ben Bergquam, Josh Fulfer and Jason Phillips. Bergquam, Fulfer and Phillips often post videos of themselves on social media, where they express xenophobic views similar to those of the Proud Boys. They often identify themselves as members of the media, though they don’t produce journalistic work and mostly publish content on social media.
Bergquam has denied being a Proud Boy, but he has attended several Proud Boy events. Bergquam was convicted of assault in Texas last year after assaulting a Telemundo cameraman at the U.S. border in 2019.
Benjamin Martin, a Fresno real estate agent, also was in D.C. during the insurrection. Earlier this month he participated in an anti-mask protest at the Fresno Trader Joe’s and was filmed confronting an employee there over the store’s mask policy. The protest shut the store down.
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect a Madera County Sheriff’s detective, not deputy, was present at the residence of Eddie Block.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 8:11 PM.