
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — Three men and two women from Oklahoma City, who were staying at a Stillwater hotel when they were arrested by local police, have been charged with participating in an identity theft ring.
Stillwater police detectives were sent to a hotel on E. Hall of Fame on Jan. 31 about numerous people inside a room who had refused to leave and possibly had illegal drugs, according to an affidavit filed by Detective Newly McSpadden last week.
“Upon my arrival, I observed three males standing in the parking lot next to a red Lexus car,” that they were loading with numerous suitcases, Detective McSpadden wrote in an affidavit.
Detective Bret Moore said “he could see a piece of tinfoil with burnt residue on it sitting near the center console area in plain view. This is paraphernalia used to ingest drugs by melting the controlled dangerous substance on the tinfoil and then ingesting the fumes through a straw.
“Once Moore looked closer at this item, it was determined there was a partial blue pill still on the tinfoil, which was believed to be fentanyl. Due to the paraphernalia in plain sight, a search of the vehicle was conducted.
“While I was speaking with the males at the car, Detective Josh Carson went to the hotel,” where the two females were and more drug paraphernalia was found, Detective McSpadden alleged in his affidavit.
While defendant Lauren Ashley Hayes, 38, “was being escorted out of the hotel room, she turned around and quickly threw something into the trashcan,” believed to be several blue pills fentanyl pills, the affidavit alleged. At the police department when her property was being processed, 27 blue pills believed to be fentanyl were found, the affidavit alleged.
Hayes was charged with fentanyl trafficking, possessing drug paraphernalia and identity theft. Three days after her arrest on Jan. 31, Hayes posted $250,000 bail and was released from jail with an order to appear before a judge on April 1, court records show. She declined to speak to detectives without an attorney, the affidavit said.
One of her co-defendants, Stephen James Kiker, 37, was jailed on $250,000 bail pending a March 4 court appearance on charges of identity theft and possessing drug paraphernalia. When the car trunk was searched, a large printer was found in a pillowcase, the affidavit said. In Kiker’s backpack, numerous blank checks were found, as well as temporary driver’s licenses with three different names — all with Kiker’s picture on them, the affidavit alleged.
“I located a brown spiral-bound notebook which contained detailed information about other individuals. The information contained at minimum the full name, date of birth, social security number and address. Inside Kiker’s backpack was another black spiral top ‘notepad,"” with information needed to apply for certain loans, the detective alleged in his affidavit. Kiker declined to speak with detectives without an attorney, the affidavit said.
“During the booking process of Lauren Hayes, she had an orange notebook in her possession. Inside the notebook there was a loose piece of paper. The paper was handwritten and titled ‘Prospective Applicant’ and details how to gather people’s personal information,” as well as how to apply for a loan, the affidavit alleged.
When another co-defendant, Matthew Scott Wilson, 40, was asked why they came to Stillwater, “Wilson stated to make money. Wlson was aware that the group was applying online for loans or bank accounts using other’s information and then they had to have the false identification to finish the process or cash checks in person,” the affidavit alleged.
Wilson was jailed on $150,000 bail pending a March 4 court appearance on charges of identity theft, along with possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, court records show.
During a jail interview with another co-defendant, Jason Allen Beeman, 46, “Beeman stated they came to Stillwater in an attempt to obtain money by using other people’s information. Beeman was adamant he had not done anything to obtain money but had all the stuff prepared for it. It was obvious Beeman knew more about their plan and operation than he was willing to talk to us about.
“Beeman stated they planned to use him to go into places and pretend to be other individuals, which is why they had the false driver’s license and work identification cards with his picture on it. Beeman stated he did not have a job for any other income,” the affidavit alleged. Beeman was jailed on $150,000 bail pending a March 4 court appearance on charges of identity theft, along with possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
When another co-defendant, Trishann Marie Schmitt, 45, was interviewed, “Schmitt denied her involvement in the case and knowledge of what was happening. When confronted about the information in her notebook, she stated she did not have that information in her notebook. Schmitt acknowledged she knew what the others were doing, but she did not know how or any details.
“When asked about narcotics and the paraphernalia, Schmitt stated she is addicted to fentanyl. Schmitt stated Lauren Hayes is who provided her with the fentanyl while in Stillwater,” the affidavit alleged. Schmitt was jailed on $150,000 bail pending a March 4 court appearance on charges of identity theft, along with possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
During the investigation, an identity theft victim in Oklahoma County, “stated he first noted his identity had been taken on Oct. 16, 2023, as he received denial paperwork in the mail. Later in October he was notified of someone obtaining merchandise or money using his information. It appears close to $10,000 was obtained using his information,” the affidavit alleged.
Another identity theft victim said, “the first time he noticed someone had attempted to use his identity was on July 16, 2023.” He said, “the individuals attempted to defraud him between $7,000-$10,000,” the affidavit alleged.
Detective McSpadden alleged, “This is an elaborate operation where five individuals have come together to work as a team and have taken other people’s personal information to include their name, date of birth, social security number, and other items with the intent to use it to obtain money, credit or other goods without the consent of the actual person.
“This affidavit shows this group had a plan on how to get personal information, they have executed that plan and gathered the information, they have made false documents from this information and furthermore have already used this information to gain proceeds from individuals…It is believed there will be more follow up due to the notebooks containing over 30 individuals’ information.”