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Squatters Allegedly Make Themselves At Home In Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Lavish North Carolina Mansion
Soon after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. put his North Carolina estate up for sale, a couple, identified by authorities as "Moorish Nation" sovereign citizens, allegedly tried to occupy the residence.
A couple was arrested for squatting in the multi-million dollar mansion NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is trying to sell.
The driver, who will appear on the new USA Network series “Race For The Championship,” recently put his 9,986-square-foot North Carolina residence up for sale, and a couple who subscribe to sovereign citizen views in the area allegedly saw an opportunity.
According to local news outlet WBTV, Rowan County deputies were contacted by the real estate company working the listing when they got a false report the house was purchased for $16 million and that money was wired to the mayor of Mooresville. When they checked the security footage of the house, they saw a couple and two kids inside with no right to be there.
The two adults, Darius Trrone Hall, 29, and Nataijah Shaieena Fields, 37, were arrested at the scene after allegedly failing to cooperate with police. Darius was reportedly charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, carrying a concealed gun, and second-degree trespassing. He was given a $25,000 secured bond.
Nataijah, meanwhile, was reportedly charged with breaking and entering, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and second-degree trespassing. She was given a $10,000 secured bond.
Authorities said they affiliated themselves with the Moorish Nation, which is a sovereign citizens group whose members have unlawfully staked claims to property in the North Carolina area in the past. Deputies told the outlet they found an assault rifle and fake money in the duo’s vehicle, which had paper sovereign license plates.
In a statement to The Daily Beast, Rowan County Sheriff Major John C. Sifford said the couple claimed they wired $16 million for the property to the Mayor of Mooresville, which they did not.
“The residence is in Rowan County and is not in the Mooresville City limits, nor does the Mayor of Mooresville have any connection with the property for sale,” Sifford said. “The Mayor did not receive any funds for the property.”
In total, the alleged squatters were in the house for only a few hours before deputies responded to the scene. Stenhouse Jr. also issued a statement to the outlet over the incident as well.
“My home was broken into and illegally occupied,” he said. “I thank the Rowan County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Department for their prompt arrest of the suspects. I will have no further comment pending the outcome of any court proceedings against these individuals. Any claims by these individuals to a right in my property are without any basis in law or fact.”
USA Insider previously reported the lavish mansion is currently one of the hottest properties on the market in the Mooresville area. The property boasts a European-style horse stable, an outdoor entertainment area, a vanishing edge upper pool, a pool house/cabana, a putting green and a large pond. Inside it has a fitness training facility, detached garages, five bedrooms, six bathrooms and much more.
“Race For The Championship” premieres Thursday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on USA Network. You can watch more NASCAR content on Peacock now.
