A 44-year-old Traverse City man was arrested for credit card fraud after allegedly using a stolen credit card to book a hotel room in East Bay Township.

Michigan State Police troopers were dispatched to the hotel earlier this year on a report of credit card fraud. Troopers spoke with the desk clerk at the hotel, who said he received notification from the hotel's corporate office that a credit card company called and said the account holder was reporting fraudulent use of the card at the hotel. The owner of the credit card received an email confirming a booking at the hotel. The account holder, a woman in Missouri, stated she did not authorize or book a hotel room in Michigan. The victim believes the perpetrator had somehow hacked or had access to her rewards program through the hotel, which had her credit card linked to the account. The account holder wished to pursue charges.

Troopers went to the hotel room, which was occupied by three persons, and spoke with a person who identified himself as David Santiago. Santiago was later identified as 44-year-old Guadalupe David Santiago from Traverse City. Santiago claimed he rented the room and used cash to pay for it. The name used for the online reservation was David Santiago. When confronted about a credit card being used to purchase the room, Santiago claimed an employer booked and paid for the room.

One of the of the room’s occupants was a 21-year-old man from Suttons Bay. He had a warrant for his arrest and was lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail. The other occupant, a 31-year-old man from Traverse City, was allowed to leave along with Santiago. A report was submitted to the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued for Santiago on August 11. The MSP 7th District Fugitive Team located and arrested Santiago on Washington Street in Traverse City on November 21.

Santiago was arraigned in 86th District Court on one count of using a financial transaction device without consent and one count of lying to a police officer. He was given a $25,000 PR bond. His next scheduled court appearance is on December 6.