State House Candidate Owns Undisclosed Property Being Used for Video Gambling

Past Sanford’s Southern Lee High School, a former women’s clothing boutique has been transformed into something quite different. 

The sign in front of the nondescript gray building doesn’t name the establishment inside. Instead, it says, “WARNING: THERE IS NOTHING HERE WORTH DYING FOR.” An image of a gun points toward the approaching customer. Twenty-one rules are posted on the front door. Near the top: No phones or photos inside. 

The room reeks of cigarette and cannabis smoke as an employee describes some of the 22 video lottery machines on site. They appear to be luck-based slot games—Piggy’s Big Break, Top Shot Golf, College Rivals—that don’t require skill to win. In North Carolina, such games are against the law.  

Charles Taylor, the man listed on property records as owning this building, will likely be elected to the General Assembly on November 3. He failed to disclose the property on his economic statement of interest, as state law requires. 

Taylor is a Republican Sanford City Council member vying to represent Lee and Moore counties in the N.C. House. Taylor’s disclosure lists his personal residence but says nothing about the property at 2101 Tramway Road. Nor does it mention properties he owns at 1516 Wayne Street in Sanford and a pair of single-family homes in Snow Hill, all of which he acquired in December 2025 and says he has since rented out. Taylor’s disclosure lists two sources of income exceeding $5,000: freelance television graphics production work and his city council position. 

Another employee said Taylor “doesn’t come here.”

Under the State Government Ethics Act, political candidates must disclose “all real estate located in the State” worth at least $10,000 that they or their family members own. The Tramway Road property was purchased in December 2025 for $60,000, records show. 

“I have invested locally in real estate for many years and continue to do so,” Taylor told The Assembly in a statement. “I bought some new properties last December 31 and didn’t include them on my economic interest statement for 2025 since the closing happened on the final day of the year.” Taylor’s statement was filed on February 12. 

“This week,” Taylor continued, “I’ll amend my economic interest statement to include these new properties that I own. It’s a great privilege to be a real estate investor, and I always endeavor to be a good, honest, and fair landlord.”

Taylor, who is vying for an open seat held by outgoing state Rep. John Sauls, is heavily favored to defeat unaffiliated candidate April Montgomery in the November election. Sauls carried District 51 by nearly 29 percentage points in 2024. 

Chris Cooper, a Western Carolina University political scientist, said a lack of disclosure would “clearly” violate the state’s ethics laws.

The State Board of Elections referred a request for comment to the State Ethics Commission, which oversees issues related to economic interest statements. The commission didn’t provide an immediate comment.

While North Carolina outlaws many types of video-based gambling, enforcement is inconsistent across the state, and operators have found loopholes to exploit. For example, some provide internet access in exchange for free gameplay. But the Tramway Road location made no such effort. Customers simply need to deposit cash into the machines and inform staff once they’re ready to cash out. 

The State Bureau of Investigation referred a request for comment to the Alcohol Law Enforcement. 

“North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement does conduct investigations on illegal video gaming machine operations and prioritizes investigations at places that sell alcohol,” ALE spokesperson Ashley Thornton said in a statement. “However, we cannot provide feedback on machines that have not been examined by our agents. ALE has not charged Charles Taylor with any criminal offenses.”

Under state law, a building that is leased for illegal gambling can be deemed a nuisance. Whether Taylor violated the law could depend on what he “knew or by the exercise of due diligence should have known.”

The statement Taylor provided to The Assembly didn’t say whether he knew that gambling was taking place at his Tramway Road property. 

In some counties, sheriffs have raided video gaming parlors, seized machines, and charged the owners. In serious cases of wrongdoing, a local sheriff may work in tandem with the state’s Alcohol Law Enforcement.

Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The North Carolina Republican Party declined to comment.