Faith Fisher faces a rare felony littering charge in Gaston County, North Carolina, for trash exceeding 500 pounds left at a homeless encampment on private property in the Smyre community. Advocates and a local defense attorney worry this could signal a tactic to criminalize homelessness, as the law typically targets large-scale corporate dumping.​
Case Details
Police gave encampment residents three days to vacate, but Fisher remained, and authorities weighed the litter—accumulated by multiple people—to meet the felony threshold. She’s held on a $2,500 bond, steep for someone unhoused, partly due to prior failures to appear in court. The maximum penalty includes a $5,000 fine.​
Legal Context
North Carolina’s felony littering statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-399) applies to over 500 pounds of waste dumped willfully on private land, originally aimed at businesses. Defense attorney Brent Ratchford called it an “unusual situation” unlikely to hold up in court, arguing it stretches the law’s intent.​
Broader Concerns
Homeless advocates like Dwayne Burks from The Gateway note rising encampments and a lack of alternative shelter, questioning property owners’ cleanup demands. Similar cases nationwide have raised alarms about ordinances punishing survival acts like camping. Fisher appeared in court on February 11, 2026, with no updates on release.
