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Bay St. Louis Police Department

698 Hwy 90
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
Phone: 228-467-9222 Fax: 228-466-5510

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09/13/2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bay St Louis Police patrol officers responded to the Hollywood Casino/Hotel this morning for a suspected
Credit Card and I.D. Fraud. Officers were told that a subject who gave his identify as Daniel Johnson of
Oklahoma had presented a credit card at the players service desk to obtain cash. The clerk noticed that the
Drivers License he presented did not look normal and notified Casino Security. The transaction was
completed and security retained the I. D. after discovering that it appeared to have been altered.

When officers arrived, they found that the drivers license was indeed a fake. Records checks found that the
license number was assigned to a sample drivers license used for demonstration purposes only. The
identifying information on the license was run and a record for a drivers license out of Arkansas was found
with the photograph for the licensee not matching the person who was pictured on the license at the casino.
Casino surveillance was able to follow the subject to a hotel room and a check of the guest registration
showed that the room was registered to a Trae Patrick Hooten of Diamondhead. Officers conducted an NCIC
check on Hooten and found that he was wanted out of Oklahoma for Auto Theft. Officers and Casino
Security went to the room and attempted to speak with the occupants who ignored knocks on the door.
Casino Staff, using an emergency pass key made entry to have the unregistered subject removed from the
property, discovered the room occupied by 2 men (Daniel Johnson of Oklahoma and James Gregory Hooten
of Diamondhead) and a young woman (Chaselyn Bannister of Gulfport). Police saw various items laying
about the room associated with credit card and I.D. fraud. During contact with the occupants, the person who
claimed to be Daniel Johnson was suspected of being Trae Hooten as BSL PD officers had previous contacts
with him in the past. Multiple items including forged checks and altered ID cards were found laying about in
the room and all three were taken into custody for Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft. The person who
claimed to be Daniel Johnson was later confirmed as being Trae Hooten by fingerprints taken at the Hancock
Co Jail.

The investigation continues into the matter as information being developed indicates that this matter crosses
multiple jurisdictional / state lines and may affect several individuals. Additional charges are pending. US
Secret Service investigators, Jackson, MS Office was notified of the arrest and are responding to the Bay.

Any one with additional information is asked to contact the Bay St Louis Police/Central Dispatch at 228-255-
9191 or Investigators at 228-466-5474

AUTHORITY: Matthew Issman, Chief of Police (Acting)

For further information contact:

Jeff Hendrix, Lieutenant
Criminal Investigations
Bay St Louis Police Dept
228-466-5475
Jhendrix@baystlouis-ms.gov