Six alleged gang members are facing charges in connection with a “brutal assault and kidnapping” reported earlier this year, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jamaal Holley, Jackie Brown Jr., Kenijae Howard, Martell Johnson, Natselane Mattison and Jamari Grady have each been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Holley faces additional charges of attempted murder and kidnapping.

The charges stem from an incident in February 2025 where a man was found “severely beaten, left nude and restrained with his hands tied behind his back” on Hayes Road in Indian Trail, authorities said in a news release.

The man had been assaulted and struck repeatedly with a firearm on his head and body, according to investigators, before being forcibly placed in a trunk and later thrown out into the sub-freezing temperatures with no clothes. The victim was able to flag down a passing driver, who immediately called 911 the sheriff's office said.

The suspects, none of whom are from Union County, are allegedly part of a gang, according to Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey. The gang name has not been released.

“This was an especially violent and senseless crime, and I am proud of the determination and professionalism shown by our detectives, forensic experts, and support personnel to identify those responsible and seek justice for the victim,” Cathey said in a release.

Two suspects, Holley and Brown, are currently in Union County custody, officials said. Howard was released on a $35,000 bond, and Johnson is currently awaiting extradition to North Carolina from a detention center in South Carolina.

Mattison and Grady are still at large, officials said.

“Our commitment to the safety of this community is unwavering, and we will continue working until the remaining suspects are apprehended,” Cathey said.

The sheriff's office asks anyone with information to please contact 911 or the Union County Sheriff's Office at 704-283-3789. People can also call Union County Crime Stoppers at 704-283-5600.