William Lon Wiggins
Fontana Dam – A 21-year-old man is facing additional charges after being arrested in a bizarre 24-hour case last week.
Graham County Sheriff Brad Hoxit confirmed to The Graham Star on Monday that the agency was working with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and District Attorney’s office on the investigation, as William Lon Wiggins of Provo, Utah, faces charges of first-degree forcible rape, second-degree rape and first-degree burglary, in addition to kidnapping and abduction charges that were filed April 3.
His secured bond is set at $430,000. Wiggins was still in custody Monday morning at the Graham County Detention Center.
Through marketing manager Lisa Dahlquist, Fontana Village provided a statement to The Graham Star on Monday afternoon, revealing that Wiggins was no longer employed by the resort.
“Fontana Village Resort’s management takes very seriously the safety of all our employees and guests,” the statement reads. “Upon being informed of the circumstances, upper management has worked with local authorities to ensure that they have the information necessary to investigate this matter.
“Wiggins’ employment with Fontana Village was terminated immediately, and he has been banned from the resort’s property.”
Wiggins allegedly had an unidentified victim tied to a bed in the former administration building in the Town of Fontana Dam, which houses both the municipality’s town hall and seasonal-employee residences for Fontana Village Resort & Marina.
A concerned third party had approached the Graham County Sheriff’s Office on April 2 about the victim going missing. When authorities pieced together the circumstances, the victim was discovered behind a locked door in the residential portion of the building (seasonal employees are housed in the rear area of the structure), tied to a bed.
Officers administered first aid to the 24-year-old woman until she could be transported to an area hospital.
Wiggins was located working at the resort and initially detained on a domestic violence charge.