Latest news with #KingsMountain
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
ICE raid at Kings Mountain factory stemmed from identity theft investigation; workers taken into custody
KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. () — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said a raid on a Kings Mountain factory Wednesday afternoon was part of an investigation into identity theft. That blitz involved ICE agents taking workers at Buckeye Fire Equipment into custody. 'There's a bunch of cops here. And I was like, 'What are you talking about?' And I looked down the hall; there was a mass there. They had masks on. They had their guns drawn. They were like, Hey, we need everybody [to] go in the front,' said Erick. Eric Pinon shot video, and he and his coworkers gathered in one spot at Buckeye Fire. In the video, men in large vests and badges are seen standing behind the workers. He was able to grab this video before any agents stepped in to stop him. 'I was trying to record, and he told me, 'No recording, put your phone up.' He grabbed my phone, and like, that's when he took the record off, and he turned off my phone. He was like, 'Everybody turn off your phones now. It's not. You'll be detained,' Pinon said. PREVIOUS | Pinon, a U.S. citizen, said once everyone's phones were turned off, what appeared to be immigration agents led them to a small room for at least an hour before individual interrogations outside. 'That's when they were checking all of us. They were asking questions like, 'Are you a U.S. citizen? Anybody in there? You a citizen or not? You a citizen?' Or if, like, anybody that's working without papers or under a different name,' he said. Pinon chose not to answer any questions. Agents handed out blue wristbands to indicate who had legal citizenship. Dulce Cruz-Hernandez's mom works at the factory, and she has questions of her own. 'I would ask them why and if, like the company called them, or just like how did they end up in this factory specifically?' Cruz-Hernandez said. ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said agents were executing a warrant for aggravated identity theft and other crimes, which include potentially employing people illegally. 'Allegations of identity theft and you should take seriously. Would you want your identities used for someone else to work or do whatever they're going to do with them? So it's a serious federal crime,' Williams said. 'There have been some folks detained where somewhere in the dozen or so range, but that number may increase as we continue.' From the air, tents could be seen that looked like a staging area, and people lined up outside of the massive complex on Kings Road. FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP, US Marshals, Gaston County Police, and Gaston County deputies were on the scene. 'It's really sad because I just don't know what's going on with my mother. I don't know if she's going to come back home today, never, ever. I really don't know. My mom's the only guardian I have really, because my dad's unfortunately not in the country either,' Cruz-Hernandez said. Williams said the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
ICE agents arrest 30 at Kings Mountain business
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 30 people at a Kings Mountain fire equipment company, saying they were acting on a tip about fake documents and possible unauthorized workers. PAST COVERAGE: Homeland Security serves criminal search warrant at Kings Mountain fire equipment supplier Video from Chopper 9 Skyzoom on Wednesday afternoon showed agents walking people in handcuffs out of Buckeye Fire Equipment Company. Agents said they received a tip that someone inside was using fake documents to allow people to work, who possibly were not authorized to work in the country. Investigators haven't released any information on any arrests or charges. Federal agents said they are also looking at possible other federal crimes. Channel 9 spoke with a man who said he was one of the people detained. He said ICE agents entered the business with guns drawn and demanded everyone go to the front of the shop. 'I was a detained for an hour,' said Erik Pinon. 'I felt scared. I felt like they were going to take me because I've seen a lot of U.S. citizens get treated bad.' Buckeyes Fire Equipment is family-owned and operated since 1968, and its headquarters is in Kings Mountain. It makes fire extinguishers, fire suppressing foam, and systems that help stop kitchen fires. At 5 p.m. on Channel 9, we are looking into a former Buckeye executive sentenced for tax evasion. This is a developing story. Check back with for updates. VIDEO: Homeland Security serves criminal search warrant at Kings Mountain fire equipment supplier
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Catawba Indians reveal when $1 billion North Carolina casino is expected to open
Amid the earsplitting din of construction, the Catawba Indians on Tuesday revealed when they'll open their $1 billion Two Kings Casino Resort 35 miles west of Charlotte. While the main casino complex is expected to open in spring 2027, a single-story 'introductory' casino is on target for a March 2026 opening, tribal officials said during a media tour of the 2.2 million-square-foot project off Interstate 85 exit 5. 'Not only is this facility bringing great jobs to our tribe and our people and creating that generational wealth, it's also bringing that same opportunity to the citizens of Kings Mountain and the citizens of North Carolina,' Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said. The casino complex is the largest current construction project of any kind between New York and Florida, Nory Hazaveh, principal of SOSHNY, the N.Y.-based architect on Two Kings Casino Resort, told The Charlotte Observer at the site. The introductory casino part of the complex will include 1,300 slot machines, 22 table games, a 40-seat restaurant, an 18-seat bar, sports betting kiosks and a loyalty rewards desk, officials said. Inside the introductory casino Tuesday, construction officials pointed to steel piping where the ceiling will be, adorned by chandeliers. The lobby will feature a video mural of the history of the Catawba Nation, along with its pottery and basket making traditions, Trent Troxel, vice president of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, said on the tour. The tribe will close its current single-level casino, which celebrates its fourth anniversary July 1, three months after the introductory casino opens. Construction of the main casino complex started about a year ago. That includes the introductory casino, three levels of covered parking, a back-of-house level and a top level with the main casino floor and restaurants. Via an indoor 'skywalk,' the casino complex will attach to a 24-story, 385-room hotel that's also well underway. The casino complex will have 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games and 11 restaurants, including a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant, a marketplace with six venues, a café and a grab-and-go outlet. Restaurant names will be unveiled closer to the opening, officials said. The complex also will include a players lounge, 42 elevators and 11 bars, including a center bar and a sports bar. A 2,700-space parking garage will be built under the main casino floor on a high-rise casino building, and 800 surface parking spaces also will be available. The project already is employing hundreds of construction workers. Upon completion, the casino resort will employ about 2,200 local residents and citizens of the Catawba Nation, tribal officials said. With its current single-level, temporary casino, the operation already is providing education opportunities and health care to tribal employees, Troxel told the Observer. 'Most importantly, it's providing jobs,' Troxel said. 'Recently, we hired four or five tribal members. Some of them just came out of college. I didn't have that opportunity to go work for my tribe out of college. But there's opportunities for Catawba college kids now to come work for their nation.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3-star prospect Kings Mountain football standout William Vaughn chooses Boston College
Kings Mountain football standout William Vaughn has made a decision on his college destination. Vaughn announced Saturday his plan to attend Boston College via X, formerly Twitter. 'Extremely excited to announce my commitment to (Boston College footbal),' he said in a brief post, including a photo of Boston College hats, helmet and a jersey with his name and high school number (15). ARE YOU READY?: Here are 2025 high school football schedule for Gastonia, Shelby area schools Advertisement WHAT A 'KNIGHT!': North Lincoln baseball will play for an NCHSAA 3A state title. Here's how. Recruited as a tight end, he is a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. He selected Boston College over 23 other suitors, including Appalachian State, Charlotte, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Michigan State, NC State, NC State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia. Vaughn enjoyed a breakout season last fall, moving from a position on the defensive line to one of Big South 3A's best receivers. He caught 45 passes for 994 yards and nine touchdowns, helping Kings Mountain to a 9-3 record and first-round playoff win. This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Kings Mountain football's William Vaughn commits to Boston College
