GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- Three former members of the Stanley Fire Department are facing felony charges after an investigation uncovered deliberate efforts to sabotage the department’s computer systems.

The indictments come after a year-long investigation conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Town of Stanley, and the Gaston County District Attorney’s Office.

According to authorities, problems surfaced in 2023 after several senior members left the department. An internal audit revealed that critical safety data had been deleted or tampered with, including the fire hydrant mapping system -- a tool firefighters rely on to locate water.

For two weeks, authorities said crews had to respond to calls without access to that hydrant information, signif

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