Columbus police arrested two people at a west-side hotel after finding a large number of false documents including fake checks, Social Security cards and driver’s licenses.
Police were sent to the Sleep Inn, 2335 W. Jonathan Moore Pike, at 2:50 p.m. Wednesday after a disturbance called in by another hotel guest, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
When officers arrived, they learned that a man, later identified Travis W. Lindholm, 31, of Bayport, Minnesota had been reportedly injured by a toilet seat which had broken in his hotel room, Harris said.
While speaking with Lindholm, he provided a false name to the officers, Harris said. The false name and date of birth he provided coincidentally returned to a man who had an out-of-state warrant.
Lindholm was taken into custody and the officers determined his true identity a short time later and confirmed four felony warrants for his arrest in Minnesota, Harris said.
Officers also spoke with Chelci R. Johnson, 28, of Gas City, Indiana who was with Lindholm and also falsely identified herself, Harris said. Officers confirmed her identity a short time later and she was taken into custody.
While in the hotel room, the officers recovered several identification cards and driver’s licenses containing different names along with Lindholm’s photograph. They also seized a number of bank cards and personal checks along with a suitcase containing several forms of identification with different names.
A vehicle that was reported stolen in Marion, Indiana was also recovered in the hotel parking lot, Harris said.
Lindholm and Johnson were transported to the Bartholomew County Jail with a 48 hour hold on the following preliminary charges:
Travis Lindholm: Four felony Minnesota warrants (two Counts of offering a forged check, felony assault, and witness tampering) and local preliminary charges of felony identity deception, possession of false government ID cards and false informing.
Chelci Johnson: Identity deception and false informing.
Columbus Police Department detectives are continuing to investigate the case and additional charges are possible.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
