Family arrested for alleged gambling operation

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- A family in Statesville was arrested in connection with an illegal gambling operation there. Investigators say this was one of the largest and most elaborate set-ups in the county.

A woman rents a house at 710 Salisbury Highway in Statesville during the day to use for her alterations business. She had no idea that after she left for the night, in a locked back room there, the building’s owner was allegedly running an illegal casino.

Sixteen video poker machines seized from four shops.

"We figure they were making about $2,000 a day profit," said Capt. James Craven with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators say three of the shops were within a few hundred yards of each other, and protected by video surveillance.

"It was our understanding that if they didn't know you, they wouldn't allow you to come up to the premises and gamble," Craven said.

Behind closed blinds, an undercover investigation revealed that 53-year-old Carole Hopkins and her daughter, 31-year-old Heather Hopkins, were allegedly running the four shops.

"The operations ran from 6 o'clock in the evening to 2 or 2:30 in the morning," said Craven.

We saw mother Carole outside one of the shops Friday, but she refused to talk with us.

Since she and her daughter are out on bond, none of the neighboring business owners felt comfortable talking with us either. Deputies say the investigation is ongoing and there will likely be more arrests.

"They were paying people to run these places anywhere between $8 and $10 an hour," Craven said.

Deputies expect to arrest Carole Hopkins' husband in connection with this case.

They are still not sure how many customers visited each shop and they are still counting the cash seized from those machines.