On December 10, 2025, Bloomington Police Officers responded to a theft by swindle report from Country Inn and Suites Hotel, [ADDRESS REDACTED], Bloomington, Hennepin County. The reporting party, Front Desk Supervisor K. A., reported that on November 2, 2025, a male suspect later identified as ERIK AUSTIN WILLIS, Defendant herein, arrived to the hotel on the hotel's shuttle transportation. The Defendant presented a Minnesota identification card in the name of "Mike Sterling." The Defendant's picture was displayed on the card and he proceeded to claim he had a reservation under his employer, "Endeavor." K. A. Knew Endeavor to be a partnered company and client of the hotel chain that utilized Country Inn and Suite hotels for their employee's travel stays.
K. A. Could not locate the Defendant's reservation despite the Defendant continually claiming he had a reservation. K. A. Booked the Defendant into the hotel and the Defendant was to provide his reservation from his employer. The Defendant was asked repeatedly from the date he checked in until he was ultimately evicted on November 26, 2025, for his employer's confirmation of his reservation but he could not provide any verification of his employment with Endeavor or that he had a reservation at the hotel.
The General Manager of the hotel, M. J., was contacted by Homewood Suites, a neighboring hotel, that the Defendant was known for scamming hotels into free stays by claiming he was checking in under his alleged employer. M. J. Then reported the incident to Police. The total stay the Defendant did not pay for at Country Inn and Suites is $2,617.44. The Defendant was identified through hotel surveillance, and the Defendant provided a phone number at check in that has subscriber information under his name.
Investigators also reviewed a 2019 Dr. Phil episode titled "Life of Lies," where the Defendant outlined his theft by swindle techniques and the use of false names. The State requests this complaint issue as a warrant. The Defendant recently was charged with an almost identical incident in case file ••-CR-••-•••• with a date of offense of January 10, 2025. The Defendant plead and was convicted on September 15, 2025. On December 19, 2025, prior to this case being submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, the Defendant appeared in custody on a probation violation in case file ••-CR-••-••••. The Defendant indicated he would be returning to Wisconsin.
The Defendant also according to the CRS in ••-CR-••-••••, has cases in Michigan, Tennessee, and Iowa. Due to the transient nature of the Defendant's charges, recent probation violation, and this new case being similar in nature to his recent conviction, the State is requesting the complaint issue as a warrant. The Defendant also has no known address to send a summons.
