Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 1-7, 2018 UCW 9 More than two dozen Robeson County people identifying themselves as members of the Tus- carora Indian Tribe face charges of operating illegal gambling houses, money laundering at illegal casi- nos and the manufacture of controlled substances. Because of their Native American status, they claimed to be a sovereign nation. e men and women ranged in age from 17 to 62. "is group openly expressed beliefs that neither the laws of North Carolina nor the United States ap- plied to them, putting law-abiding citizens in danger," said Terrance Merriweather, head of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the agency that executed the search warrants. "Citizens living near the casinos complained of the illegal activity taking place and no- tified law enforcement," he added. e illicit casinos were operated in blacked-out buildings. Officials said they operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. e Tuscarora coalesced nearly three centuries ago as a people and eventually became part of the Five Nations of the historic Iroquois Confederacy in New York. Some of the Tuscarora migrated south and settled in Eastern North Carolina long before Euro- pean explorers arrived. Tuscarora tribal offi- cials in New York dispute claims that anyone in North Carolina has con- tinuity as a tribe with the Tuscarora. ey consider any individuals remaining in North Carolina as no longer having tribal status, although they have Tusca- rora genetic ancestry. e illegal casinos oper- ated in Maxton, Pembroke and Red Springs. Vehicles, currency, marijuana, firearms and over 200 illegal gaming machines were seized during the raids following a yearlong local, state and federal inter-agency investigation. e group operated three illegal casinos located at 1345 Modest Rd., Maxton; 129 Nancy Ln., Pembroke; and 1521 Opal Rd., Red Springs. Indoor and outdoor marijuana growing operations were also found. e Robeson County Sheriff 's Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted NCALE in the yearlong operation. Merriweather said the illegal band operated an unlawful police force with heavily armed opera- tives who were not only unlicensed but used blue lights in their pickups. e group made threats of war against law enforcement. "Most of the offenders were considered to be armed and dangerous, and many have criminal re- cords," said Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey. "People living in those towns feared the activities taking place around the casinos. At the end of the day, this operation is all about community better- ment," he added. ose arrested included the Tuscarora Nation's leader, Kendall Locklear, and his son, Keaton. Also charged were the armed guards who provided secu- rity at the casinos and other employees. Since the late 20th century, some North Carolina persons claiming Tuscarora ancestry formed bands in Robeson and nearby counties. In the 1960s, many of their descendants and approximately 2,000 other individuals organized an official Tusca- rora political infrastructure. In 1979, the Tuscarora Tribe of Indians Maxton was accepted into the National Congress of American Indians. en, in 2010, leaders and individuals of the various Tus- carora factions in Robeson County came together to form the Tuscarora Nation One Fire Council, an interim, unincorporated government now claiming to be a sovereign nation. Native Americans claiming to be a sovereign nation arrested by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS JEFF THOMPSON, Senior News Reporter. COMMENTS? news@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. Vehicles, currency, marijuana, firearms and over 200 illegal gaming machines were seized during the raid of illegal casinos in Maxton, Pembroke and Red Springs. (910) 678-8400 • www.faytechcc.edu Make the SMART choice to register now for Fall classes at FTCC! Choose from over 250 programs of study in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Business, Computer Information Technology, Engineering & Applied Technology, Health, Math & Sciences, and Public Service For information on course descriptions involved with each program, career paths, and employment outlook, visit www.faytechcc.edu/academics or meet with an FTCC admissions counselor at our Fayetteville, Spring Lake, or Fort Bragg locations! Register now for Fall classes! Classes begin August 20 Don't delay! Fall classes begin August 20.