On May 18, 2023, officers of the Apple Valley Police Department responded to a hotel located in the City of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota for a report of individuals staying at the hotel that had not paid. Officers spoke with employees who reported that three rooms had been rented since May 13, 2023 and that the credit cards that had been used had been marked as fraudulent or not fully approved. Officers went to the room and identified one of the occupants as Jessica Marie Davila, born on [DOB REDACTED], and the other as Arielle Castillo, born on [DOB REDACTED]. As well, there were several children present.
Officers spoke with Castillo who reported that she had come to the hotel with her partner for a family reunion. Officers observed items that appeared to be controlled substances as well as a binder that appeared to have bank account information including information for a card that had been determined to be fraudulent and was attempted to be used for payment of the hotel room. Castillo stated that she had been told that a third party would be paying for the room and was unaware of the notebooks containing information of others and stated that they may belong to a third party.
Officers also observed a piece of paper with multiple different bank account numbers and names as well multiple credit cards with multiple different names. Officers spoke with Davila who stated that she did not have any knowledge of any identity theft and believed that Castillo would be paying for the rooms. Officers secured the room and received a search warrant for the hotel room. Officers completed a search of the hotel room and located multiple documents with the personal information of multiple victims.
Officers also located a laptop and received a search warrant for this. When they opened the laptop, officers observed a website page was open to an internet search with a name for Victim 4 and the website had Victim 4’s date of birth, phone number, email, address, relatives, and property records listed. Officers reviewed all the documents seized from the hotel room and located multiple names and information that did not belong to either Davila or Castillo. Officers spoke with many of these individuals and determined that they used a tax preparation service located in the City of South Saint Paul.
Officers spoke with the tax service that reported that during a move of their office a truck was stolen which contained old tax documents. During the search of the hotel room, officers recovered a three-ring binder. This binder contained multiple identities including Victim 1. Officers observed that the binder contained Victim 1’s name, date of birth, social security number, and a routing and account number for an investment company. Officers contacted Victim 1’s family and determined that Victim 1 had never opened an account with that investment company.
