Clovis City Council candidate says police used ‘military style tactics’ to intimidate him
A Clovis City Council candidate said Clovis Police used “third world, military style tactics” to intimidate and bully him and his family during a search warrant related to stolen campaign signs.
In addition, candidate Herman Nagra, who was recently arrested, accused incumbent Vong Mouanoutoua as the person responsible for the police department’s “unnecessary use of force.”
“This is some third world type of tactics, sending military police in camouflage, with their fingers on machine guns, just over signs,” Nagra said. “All they had to do was ask if I had the signs. I would’ve told them right away where they were.
“I’ve had zero felonies, zero misdemeanors in my life. But Vong can send military style police to my home and intimidate me and my elderly parents because he has political influence?”
Nagra, 31, was booked on counts of grand theft for allegedly stealing $1,200 in signs from two rival candidates, Mouanoutoua and Diane Pearce.
Nagra counters that the signs he helped take down were placed on private property and without owner permission, or on public property of Clovis, which would be a violation of the city of Clovis rules.
However, it was how police went about serving the search warrant and Nagra’s belief that Mouanoutoua was behind it all, that concerned him most.
Mouanoutoua couldn’t be reached for comment.
A routine search warrant?
Nagra said about 20 officers showed up and repeatedly banged on his front door early Thursday morning then barged into the home and rummaged through their belongings for 30 minutes.
“I thought the police were going to break down the door,” Nagra said. “We’re just watching them enter our home and go through all of our stuff. And mess up the place, tracking their dirty, wet boots all over our new carpet. We didn’t know what it was about. They didn’t tell us anything.
“And we’re not really questioning things because I was always taught not to question the police. But when I started speaking to my mother in Punjabi, which is our first language, they said we couldn’t do that. They didn’t show a warrant until the end.”
Lt. Jim Munro, public information officer for the Clovis Police Department, said 10 officers were assigned to work the search warrant on Nagra.
Munro said it was the usual number of officers for a search warrant, and added that some showed up wearing a heavy vest and helmet because they’re assigned to the SWAT team.
“What we did there was no different than what we’ve done elsewhere before,” Munro said. “What happened is, we were attempting to prove a crime. We had a search warrant to get in a house. You don’t know the situation you’re entering in.
“Even if we were looking for a stolen baseball card, we’d use the same method. While 10 officers sounds a lot, it really isn’t. You never know who’s in the house or what’s their state of mind. Officer safety comes first.”
Taking down political signs
Nagra said it wasn’t until after police were done searching his home that a “frustrated” officer asked him if he had the campaign signs.
“I told them, they’re in the backyard, in my trash can,” Nagra said. “I didn’t know what to do with the signs and I didn’t want to leave them where they were. So I threw them away.”
“The police later said that I admitted to stealing the signs,” Nagra added. “I told them that I was admitting to taking down the signs after I got permission from the owners who didn’t want them there.”
Mouanoutoua contacted police Tuesday to report the stolen signs.
Police then checked city surveillance cameras and identified a white Ford pickup as the suspect vehicle and a suspect who appeared to be Nagra.
Nagra said he eventually was handcuffed in front of his home, placed inside a police van and escorted downtown to speak with officers further.
“I was cooperating and doing everything they asked and answering any questions they had,” Nagra said. “So why are they still handcuffing me in front of my mom and dad?
“It’s because of Vong. I know this. He has political influence. He’s had an issue with me even before the stuff with the signs.”
Still running for council
Nagra said he isn’t deterred from his candidacy for Clovis City Council. Nagra, who owns an AM/PM convenience store, added that several business owners and much of the Punjabi community have been vocal about him continuing in the election
“I think I’m viewed as an outsider and an underdog,” Nagra said. “I’m not part of a political party. I’m not trying to win a partisan way. I’m an Independent.
“I’m running on issues. Some people who are running against me don’t like that.”
The election
Five candidates are running. Two incumbents — Mouanoutoua and Lynne Ashbeck — are being challenged by newcomers Pearce, Noha Elbaz and Nagra. Voting for the two seats on the five-person council is done at large, meaning each council member represents the whole city, not a part of it in a district. The seats are nonpartisan.
Vote-by-mail ballots will start arriving to registered voters after Monday, Feb. 1. Ballot drop boxes will be available starting Tuesday, Feb. 2. The last day to register to vote is Feb. 15. Initial vote centers will open Feb. 20; the remainder will open Feb. 27. Election Day is March 2. Any mailed ballot with a postmark after March 5 will not be counted.
For more information, go to fresnovote.com.
This story was originally published January 30, 2021 at 2:15 AM.
