A Carson City sales consultant faces felony fraud charges after admitting to stealing her roommate's credit card and withdrawing more than $1,000 to keep her vehicle from being repossessed.
Traci Renee Souza, 28, was arrested Dec. 11, 3:05 p.m at a business in the 500 block of Mallory Way after Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies tracked down the credit card and determined the woman — who also worked in the same building as the victim — used it to illegally take the money. Souza was being held at Carson City Jail on $25,000 bail.
According to the arrest report, officers were dispatched to the business to speak with a victim of fraud.
Officers asked the victim if anyone else was with with her when she lost her card. She said her roommate, Traci Souza, was with her when the card was lost. She also said the two worked in the same Mallory Way office building, the arrest report states.
Officers spoke with Souza who said she was in the shower when she heard her roommate "freaking out" about her stolen credit card. Authorities asked Souza if she took the card. She stated she had not but seemed very nervous and was elusive to the questioning by authorities, the report states.
Authorities then went to a Carson City check cashing service in the 2000 block of East William Street and met with an employee there who had paperwork showing the transaction Souza made on Dec. 10 at around 1:32 p.m. The paperwork showed that Souza had used her identification with the victim's credit card to obtain $1,049, the arrest report states.
Authorities then returned to the Mallory Way business to speak with Souza. The arresting officer asked her to tell the truth about the card as authorities now had solid evidence showing she had taken money from the victim's credit card, the arrest report states.
Souza at first denied the crime but then after being confronted with the paperwork she told authorities she had taken the credit card without permission from their home and used it at the check cashing service to obtain $1,049, the report states.
Authorities asked Souza why she took the money and the woman replied that she was going through a bad divorce and that she needed the money to keep from having her vehicle repossessed, the arrest report states.
The victim was adamant about pursuing charges against Souza, the report states. She faces felony charges of fraudulent use of a credit card and obtaining money under false pretenses.
In other felony-related arrests:
— A Carson City man already under probation faces a felony charge of preventing a victim from reporting a crime and misdemeanor battery.
William Hudnell, 43, was arrested 6:33 a.m. Dec. 11 in the 600 block of East Proctor. According to the arrest report officers were dispatched to the area after 911 dispatch was contacted by a woman who was screaming in the background before the line was disconnected.
Officers arrived and found the victim in front of a residence. As an officer was talking with the victim, Hudnell went out of the back door of the house and ran from the area, the arrest report states.
The victim told the arresting officer that Hundell wasn't supposed to have contact with her because of a restraining order. She also said Hudnell was not supposed to be drinking as conditions of alternative sentencing. Carson City dispatch confirmed the restraining order and no alcohol clause, the arrest report states.
The victim stated she woke up and realized Hundell had been drinking all night. She asked him to leave the house and come back when he was sober. Hundell became upset with the woman and began to yell at her, the report states.
The woman said she was going to call the police but Hundell pulled her hair and grabbed her around the neck. The victim said she dropped the phone and Hundell picked it up and wouldn't give it back to her. The victim, who had redness around her neck and arms when interviewed by authorities, said she was able to get out of the residence with her daughter as officers arrived.
At around 6:30 a.m. the victim called authorities and said Hundell had returned to the house. Officers responded and took the man into custody. He was given a PBT test with a result of .123. Along with the felony charge and misdemeanor battery charge Hundell also faces a probation violation charge. Bail: $8,500.
— A Carson City man faces a felony charge of third offense driving under the influence. Mathew Lee Hancock, 27, was arrested Dec. 11, 3:19 a.m. at the intersection of Division and 10th Street.
According to the arrest report, an officer patrolling saw a white 1999 Toyota Tacoma without a front license plate traveling westbound on Long Street, crossing Carson Street.
The officer followed the vehicle westbound on Long. The vehicle was closely being followed by another vehicle, a white Chevy Blazer. The Tacoma turned southbound on Division Street from Long Street and did not use a turn signal. The officer passed the Blazer, stopped the Tacoma and spoke with Hancock, asking him if he knew the the person following him. Hancock said he did and that it was his roommate following him from the bar, according to the arrest report.
The arresting officer could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Hancock's breath and he had red, watery eyes. The officer asked if he had consumed alcohol and the man said he had and agreed to take a standardized field sobriety test in which he performed with unsatisfactory results, the arrest report states.
A breath test was give in in which it registered at .09. Hancock was taken into custody. Officers learned from the DMV that he was driving on a revoked driver's license for second offense DUI. The revocation period was in effect until Dec. 11, 2013. Hancock had two prior convictions within 7 years, according to the arrest report. He was being held on $20,000 bail.
— Two Carson City men who were jailed in the Special Needs housing unit face felony battery charges after being involved in a Dec. 8 fight. Angel Altamirano, 21, and Martin Nicholas John Radu both face felony charges of battery by a prisoner, according to the arrest report.
Authorities were advised by jailers that a battery happened in the housing unit and that the two were involved. Both men were read their Miranda Rights and both agreed to speak with the arresting officer, the report states.
The men said they were fighting on Dec. 8 prior to the jail locking down for the night. Both men have injuries from the fight and were seen by jail medical staff. Bondable bail on the felony charges was set at $20,000 each.
— A Carson City woman was arrested Dec. 11, 3:10 p.m. on a criminal complaint issued by the District Attorney's Office. Tanya Charlene Newton, 24, faces a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance. She is being held in the Carson City Jail on a $2,500 cash or bondable bail.
— Those arrested on charges are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.