FBI agents raid Hells Angels Motorcycle Club leader's home

CLOVIS, California -- The quiet of one neighborhood was shattered Wednesday morning as FBI agents raided the home of Merl Hefferman.

He is an official of a Hells Angels Motorcycle Club chapter in California. Hefferman was taken out of the house in his underwear and was held for several hours in a Clovis Police Department van.

Hefferman is well known as the leader of an annual charity drive, giving bikes to underprivileged kids at Christmas.

"The need is so great. Somebody has to step up for these kids that are homeless," Hefferman said in 2015 about the giveaway.

While portraying themselves as benevolent, the FBI considers Hells Angels a "transnational, violent, outlaw motorcycle gang."

Last year, several club members were arrested and indicted on murder and drug charges related to a three-year-old shooting at the Fresno Club headquarters.

Several neighbors we spoke with all described Hefferman and his family as nice folks, generally good neighbors.

Bob Blessing lives next door. He didn't want to appear on camera but told us, "I never had any problem with them, they never created any problem, all I know is they had people coming and going."

The only complaints from other neighbors were about traffic at the house at all hours of the night.

The FBI office in San Francisco was in charge of Wednesday's raid. Agents were in the house for several hours. They have refused to comment.

A spokesman from the San Francisco FBI office described it as a "court-authorized law enforcement action."

Because the FBI says information about the case is sealed, as of Wednesday night it was not known where Hefferman is being held and if any charges have been filed against him.