Tag: north carolina

Three Mexican Citizens charged with trafficking agricultural workers into servitude on farms in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida

Three Mexican citizens have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly running a human trafficking ring that lured agricultural workers from Mexico into forced labor on farms across Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.

A 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, alleges that Martha Zeferino Jose, 42; her son, Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23; and her partner, Jose Rodriguez Munoz, used a farm labor contracting company to exploit the H-2A visa program for financial gain, according to the Department of Justice, or DOJ.

Federal prosecutors say the group recruited workers with promises of legitimate employment through their company, Las Princesas Corporation. Instead, the defendants allegedly charged the workers illegal recruitment fees, saddling them with debt before they even arrived in the U.S.

“These individuals have been indicted for luring vulnerable workers with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said.

According to court documents, once the workers arrived, the defendants seized their passports and visas to prevent them from leaving. The workers were then allegedly forced to labor for long hours without adequate breaks or access to water while being housed in “crowded, unsanitary” residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, and hot water.

The indictment further alleges the following:

  • Climate of Fear: The defendants allegedly prohibited workers from leaving their residences alone or speaking to outsiders, threatening them with deportation if they complained.
  • Visa Fraud: Martha Zeferino Jose allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the government, falsely certifying that she would comply with labor laws she intended to ignore.
  • Obstruction of Justice: When the Department of Labor began an investigation, the defendants allegedly returned confiscated documents just before investigators arrived and ordered workers to lie to federal agents.

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina vowed to “find and eradicate any illegal immigration” and abuse of the system within the district.

The defendants face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit forced labor and alien harboring for financial gain. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of forced labor.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

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Mar-a-Lago shotgun-wielding madman ID’d as Austin Tucker Martin, a North Carolina golf course artist

The crazed gunman who was shot dead after trying to enter Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun and a gas can has been identified as a North Carolina artist who was reported missing by his mom.

Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of Cameron, North Carolina, was killed by law enforcement in the early hours of Sunday morning, law enforcement sources told The Post.

He was reported missing by his family to authorities on Saturday.

Officials are still investigating whether he bought the gun en route to Florida.

Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time; he was at the White House. On Saturday night, he and first lady Melania hosted the Governors’ Dinner, which Democratic governors appear to have boycotted.

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Fire That Killed NASCAR Star Denny Hamlin’s Father Ruled Accidental But What Caused It Remains a Mystery

An investigation by North Carolina authorities into the fire that killed NASCAR star Denny Hamlin’s father has concluded.

On December 28, the home of Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin caught fire.

As emergency services arrived on the scene, the couple was spotted in the front yard with significant injuries.

Dennis Hamlin, 75, succumbed to his injuries, but his wife, Mary Lou, survived.

Since the fire, Gaston County Emergency Management and Fire Services have been investigating the incident for the past month and have concluded their investigation, ruling the fire “accidental.”

However, the investigation concluded without ever determining what sparked the blaze in the couple’s bedroom.

Per AP:

The North Carolina house fire that killed NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s father and injured his mother has been ruled accidental but it’s still unclear what started it.

A report released by Gaston County Emergency Management & Fire Services said the Dec. 28 fire at the two-story home originated in a bedroom, but the “cause of ignition” is “undetermined.”

Otherwise, the investigation determined the fire as accidental, Gaston County spokesperson Adam Gaub wrote in an email Friday.

Hamlin’s parents, Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin were found outside the home the evening of the fire suffering from catastrophic injuries, officials said. Dennis Hamlin, 75, later died, while his wife survived.

The home, located near Stanley about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte, was owned by a company that listed Denny Hamlin as its manager, according to government records.

Following the death of his father, Hamlin took to X to write, “Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father’s passing.”

He added, “My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time.”

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Meet the Convicted Murderers and Child Rapists Set Free by Making NC Democratic Senate Hopeful Roy Cooper’s ‘Early Release’ List

Former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper agreed to fast-track the release of 3,500 inmates as part of a racial equity settlement with the NAACP—and the list included 51 convicts serving life sentences for murder or rape, the Free Beacon’s Andrew Kerr reports. The “early release” list, obtained by Cox’s WSOC-TV as Cooper campaigns for the state’s open Senate seat, came as part of a 2021 settlement with the NAACP, which sued the state over crowded prisons during the pandemic. The NAACP claimed COVID-era prison conditions were unconstitutional and disproportionately endangered black inmates.

Cooper’s administration assured state lawmakers that nobody who “committed a crime against a person” would be released early. That didn’t happen. Among the convicts on the list was Tony D. Hartsell, who “strangled and beat the 84-year-old North Carolina woman who lived across the street from him before stabbing her 44 times, mutilating her body beyond recognition,” writes Kerr. Also included was Lorenza D. Norwood, who burned a man alive; Jervon K. Wilks, convicted of sexually abusing a 7-year-old child; and Louis E. Boyd, who raped his 12-year-old stepdaughter. All walked free after decades behind bars.

Cooper’s campaign now insists the governor had nothing to do with the releases, arguing the inmates were already parole-eligible when the settlement was reached. More than 90 percent of the 51 lifers on the list, however, were released after the settlement took effect, raising fresh questions about Cooper’s record on crime as governor of the Tar Heel State. Cooper has already faced criticism over the issue thanks to his “racial equity” task force that pushed to eliminate cash bail for certain crimes. That policy led to the release of career criminal Decarlos Brown not long before he senselessly murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte subway train, the Free Beacon reported.

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North Carolina Democrat Sheriff Left Completely Humiliated After Repeatedly Botching a Simple U.S. Civics Question During Hearing

An elected official sworn to protect his county failed the most basic of civics questions in humiliating fashion on Monday.

As Axios reported, the North Carolina General Assembly interrogated Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, a Democrat, on a wide range of issues, including immigration and the deaths that occurred in county jails under his watch.

His handling of immigration received the most scrutiny, with many lawmakers blasting him for his handling of the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska last August. Blood is on McFadden’s hands because a career criminal who had no business on the streets to begin with committed the offense.

The hearing then took a rough turn for McFadden when North Carolina Republican State Rep. Allen Chesser decided to test his constitutional knowledge with a very basic question: What branch of government does McFadden operate under?

The correct answer, of course, is the executive branch, given a sheriff’s role in enforcing laws. But a clueless McFadden instead repeatedly gave the wrong answer, saying “Mecklenberg County” and “the U.S. Constitution.”

Chesser then asked McFadden how many branches of government exist (three). Unsurprisingly, the sheriff had no clue.

The Republican lawmaker went on to name the three branches (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial) to save time and asked McFadden again which branch he operated under.

Even with a multiple-choice version of the question, McFadden still got it wrong. He told Chesser his department fell under the judicial branch.

Then Chesser finally broke the truth to him.

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Majority Of North Carolina Trucking Licenses Issued To Foreigners Are Illegal: Duffy

A review of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) granted in North Carolina found that 54 percent were issued illegally, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a statement on Jan. 8.

The review was conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and is part of its ongoing nationwide audit of trucking licensing systems, the department said.

DOT warned that if North Carolina does not “fix their serious failures” and revoke licenses issued illegally to foreign nationals, the department will withhold almost $50 million in federal funding.

“North Carolina’s failure to follow the rules isn’t just shameful—it’s dangerous. I’m calling on state leadership to immediately remove these dangerous drivers from our roads and clean up their system,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

According to audit findings, North Carolina illegally issued non-domiciled CDLs to drivers whose lawful presence in the United States had expired, and some of those drivers were found to be ineligible to hold a non-domiciled commercial license.

FMCSA sent a letter to North Carolina Department of Transportation Commissioner Paul Tine and Gov. Josh Stein, outlining audit results and the corrective actions that must be taken to prevent funding from being withheld.

The agency asked North Carolina authorities to “immediately” pause the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, identify unexpired CDLs that fail to comply with FMCSA regulations, and conduct a comprehensive internal audit to identify errors, practices, quality assurance, and other issues that led to such CDLs being granted.

“The level of noncompliance in North Carolina is egregious,” FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs said. “Under Secretary Duffy, we will not hesitate to hold states accountable and protect the American people.”

The Epoch Times reached out to the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Stein’s office for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

North Carolina is one of the latest states the DOT has warned regarding the illegal issuance of CDLs to foreign nationals.

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Niqab-Wearing Muslim Woman Running for North Carolina Senate as a ‘Republican’ Repeatedly Tells Reporter ‘I Am Down for ISIS’ in Wild Interview

In a bizarre and revealing interview, Lakeshia Mashonda Ruddi Alston, the niqab-wearing Muslim woman running as the sole Republican candidate for North Carolina’s State Senate District 22, delivered a series of rambling and contradictory statements that have only intensified suspicions of her true intentions.

Alston, who has a documented history of voting Democrat since at least 2008, insists she’s a genuine Republican representing the party’s future. But her interview responses, filled with odd declarations, have left many questioning whether this is a deliberate attempt to sabotage the GOP primary.

Alston, a self-described educator, entrepreneur, and community advocate with no prior political experience, has no active campaign website, policy platform, or tied social media presence.

In the Daily Caller interview, Alston attempted to defend her Republican credentials and policy stances, but her responses were often incoherent and just outright strange.

The Daily Caller reports:

When asked what conservative principles she considers important, Alston replied: “I am down for ISIS.”

Alston five times throughout the interview said something to the effect of “I am down for ISIS … I stand for ISIS,” when appearing to refer to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Alston did not clarify whether she was referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement when contacted for follow-up.

“I am down for ISIS. The police tell you that you gotta freeze. You have to stop. I can’t go on to another country without a passport,” Alston said. “I did experience students who did have some interaction with ISIS. And was it sad? Yes, it was very sad. I cried. I empathize with them, which is why I am for ISIS.”

“I am a Republican,” Alston told the DCNF. “I’ve matured in my own revelation of what the Republican Party represents, and it looks like me.”

“Are we going back to segregation time?” Alston asked in response to a question about criticism of her GOP affiliation. “Because, I’m a Republican, and I don’t really understand the aims and the values of what that party represents. So I’m just going to be taken back at what somebody looks like, because we’re used to the Democrats pussy footin’ around.”

In a confusing anecdote, Alston described a “Chinese little boy” friend from Jordan High School whose fingernails were affected by the Hiroshima bombing, despite Hiroshima being in Japan, not China.

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North Carolina Woman’s Lawsuit Gives SCOTUS a Chance to Establish National Reciprocity

In January 2021, Eva Marie Gardner was driving in Montgomery County, Maryland when her car was allegedly hit by an assailant who ran her off the road before exiting his vehicle and rushing towards her. Gardner says she first screamed at him to get away, but when he continued advancing she drew her pistol in self-defense, though she never fired a shot. 

When police arrived on scene, they ended up releasing the man who allegedly ran her off the road, but arrested Gardner for illegal possession of a firearm. Gardner, who now lives in North Carolina, had a valid concealed carry permit from Virginia, but Maryland doesn’t recognize carry permits from any other state and she was ultimately convicted despite raising a Second Amendment claim. 

Gardner appealed all the way to the Maryland Supreme Court without success, and in mid-October she took her case to the Supreme Court, filing a cert petition on her own behalf that asks the Court to decide several questions, including whether “Maryland’s prohibition on carrying a handgun without a state permit, as applied to an interstate traveler with a valid Virginia concealed carry permit who displayed a loaded firearm in self-defense against an assailant’s vehicular assault and physical advance, violate the Second Amendment under New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen, by lacking a historical tradition of disarming law-abiding citizens in such circumstances.”

Gardner also brings a claim under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, arguing that Maryland’s refusal to recognize out-of-state permits violates the Constitution and conflicts with the Firearms Owners Protection Act.

Ordinarily, a pro se petition has little chance of being granted cert by the Supreme Court, with one study finding just 84 cases since 1945. The good news for Gardner is that at least one justice has taken an interest in the case. After Maryland waived its right to respond to her cert petition, the Court requested the state provide one, and Maryland’s reply brief is now due on January 26, 2026. 

Second Amendment Foundation Director of Legal Research and Education Kostas Moros has discovered another new detail that could up the odds of SCOTUS hearing Gardner’s case next year. 

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Federal Judges Allow North Carolina to Use New GOP-Drawn Congressional Map

Federal judges in North Carolina allowed the state to use the newly drawn congressional map, which gives Republicans one extra seat in the House.

Two lawsuits were filed to block the North Carolina legislature from enacting the newly drawn map.

A three-judge panel of the US District Court of the Middle District of North Carolina denied requests for a preliminary injunction.

NBC News reported:

A federal court in North Carolina is allowing the state to use a new Republican-drawn congressional map that would help the GOP pick up another seat in the House during next year’s midterm elections.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina unanimously denied preliminary injunction requests brought by a pair of lawsuits that said in part that the new map was aimed at diluting the voting strength of Black voters, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The judges found that the challengers “presented no direct evidence” that the North Carola Legislature enacted the map for racially discriminatory purposes.

“Instead, the direct evidence shows that the 2025 redistricting was motivated by partisan purposes,” the panel wrote Wednesday in a 57-page opinion.

Wednesday’s ruling comes after the Republican-controlled North Carolina Legislature last month approved a map aimed at expanding the number of Republican seats in the House. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, does not have the power to veto the map.

The challengers, in a pair of consolidated lawsuits, asked the court to block the state from using the new borders of two congressional districts for next year’s midterms.

Texas is also battling its newly redrawn congressional map in court and has asked the Supreme Court to halt the lower court’s ruling that blocked the new redraw.

Last Friday, Justice Alito paused the lower court’s ruling and temporarily restored Texas’s new congressional map.

In response to Texas’s redraw, California eliminated 5 House GOP seats.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California and argued that its new congressional map is a result of unconstitutional race-based gerrymandering.

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30K students actually absent Monday from Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools despite initial reports, officials say

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Tuesday, Nov. 18 said that 30,399 students were absent from school on Monday, Nov. 17. Officials initially reported that 20,935 students were absent on Monday.

According to the district, the number of absences was updated overnight Monday into Tuesday. The new number — nearly 30,399 — was reportedly unofficial.

The data still needed to be finalized by the state, the district said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools did not say whether the absences were connected to a Border Patrol operation underway in the city.

Hundreds of students stage walkouts

Border Patrol agents launched an immigration operation in Charlotte and surrounding areas on Saturday, Nov. 15. The operation, dubbed “Charlotte’s Web.”

Hundreds of students staged walkouts on Tuesday to protest the federal immigration operation. The walkouts happened across four different schools in the area.

Students from East Mecklenburg High School, Philip O. Berry Academy, Ballantyne Ridge High School, and Northwest School of the Arts left class to protest.

“I think this is a direct contact for students to be able to say something and voice their opinion in a positive way,” said parent Portia Jones.

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