A Carson City man was jailed Wednesday and faces three felony charges including fraudulent use of a credit card after, among other things, allegedly stealing identity from a victim and charging hotel rooms on a Visa card.
Scott Michael Westman, 44, was arrested in the 2700 block of Carson Street. According to the arrest report, officers responded to a motel to assist the Colorado Springs Police Department in identifying a theft report. While responding to the hotel, dispatch advised a man had used information to obtain a credit card, which was being run up at the hotel.
Upon arrival Carson City Sheriff's Office investigators met with the front desk attendant who said the man in question, Westman, was staying there and was using a fraudulent card to pay for the room. The front desk attendant told the officer the room was registered to a female but the male used a Visa credit card to re-book a different room for a different female, the arrest report states.
Officers spoke with a Colorado Springs officer who was also investigating identify theft that happened to involve Westman and the Visa credit card used to re-book the room. The officer gave information about the victim and informed Carson City officers that the Visa was opened with Cabela's and there were two other credit cards opened up this week under the victim's name, the arrest report states.
Carson City officers met with Westman in the room. He agreed to go to the hotel lobby so he could clarify his involvement with the front desk. While at the front desk officers met with the female who was renting a room that was paid using the Cabela's credit card. The tenant in the room said that around 12:30 p.m. she was speaking to the front desk person about rebooking the room but she was $10 short.
The tenant stated while she was speaking to the front desk attendant, Westman offered to pay her remaining balance so she could re-book the room. The tenant stated she observed the front desk person hand Westman the money then watched him hand the attendant a credit card that was charged to re-book her room, the arrest report states.
Officers met with the front desk attendant who also stated Westman used a Cabela's Visa card to pay for the room. After both individuals identified Westman as the bearer of the Cabelas's credit card and being able to identify the credit card was opened under a fraudulent name, officers placed Westman into custody.
While transporting the man, officers obtained a telephonic search warrant to enter the motel room for a search. Officers found drugs and drug paraphernalia, the Visa credit card in question, card lamination equipment, a black printer, an envelope containing miscellaneous identification cards, passport pages, templates for driver's licenses, a white Samsung tablet, two gray laptop computers, four hard drives and a metal container containing marijuana.
Westman was booked on the following charges: Felony obtaining using false identification, uttering a forged instrument, and fraudulent use of a credit card. He was also booked on misdemeanor charges including possession of false identification, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail: $25,000.