Motel staff called police when one offered a stolen credit
card
Gilroy – They wanted to check in, but their credit cards didn’t check out.
Two San Jose suspects were arrested on a slew of charges Tuesday morning after flashing someone else’s credit card at the Super 8 Motel on San Ysidro Avenue, a red flag that lead staff to phone police.
DeAndre Williams, 37, and Shannan Lemasters, 27, both of San Jose, offered up a credit card with someone else’s name, claiming it was a family member’s card. When police arrived, they found not only a stolen credit card, but fake driver’s licenses, counterfeit checks, stolen mail, printers and equipment to produce fake checks, and a stash of methamphetamine.
The scheme isn’t unusual, say Gilroy police: fraud and meth use are among Gilroy’s most common crimes, and one often goes with the other.
“It’s pretty typical of the type of crime we’re seeing,” said Gilroy police Sgt. Robert Locke-Paddon. “And it’s almost always linked to meth.”
Both suspects were booked into county jail Tuesday. Both face charges of methamphetamine possession, possession of a check with intent to commit fraud, and possession of a counterfeit device.
Lemasters also faces charges of falsely representing herself to an officer, using a fake driver’s license, and possession of stolen property.
Williams is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Lemasters isn’t allowed out on bail, according to the county Department of Corrections Web site, but if she were, her bail would total $51,000, said Gilroy police. Williams’ bail was set at $30,250.
County clerks said the pair have “a ton of felonies” on their criminal records, stored in San Jose. Prior to her arrest, Lemasters worked as a dental assistant in San Jose; Williams worked in auto detail. Both are scheduled to appear in court today at noon in San Martin.
Emily Alpert covers public safety issues for The Dispatch. She can be reached at 847-7158, or at ea*****@************ch.com.
