By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Holiday Inn on Washington St. on reports of an individual who was using fraudulent credit cards.

Upon arrival, the officers spoke to the reporting party, who stated that a man had come into the hotel and attempted to obtain two hotel rooms that were reserved via an internet website, for which he used a fraudulent credit card to hold as a deposit.

The suspect, later identified as Pierre Sillice, of Jamaica Plain, reportedly used a Mastercard to pay for the room using a Rhode Island picture I.D. both in a name other than his own, for a total of $679.14.

The reporting party recognized Sillice from numerous past similar incidents were a fraudulent credit card was used. He told police that Sillice was still sitting in a parked vehicle on the street in front of the hotel.

Once the vehicle was identified, the police officers pulled their cruiser behind the vehicle. The officers reportedly observed Sillice sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle moving around, leaning over into the front passenger seat area.

The officers approached the vehicle and knocked on the window, then explained to Sillice why they approached his vehicle and wanted to hear his side of the story.

According to the officers, Sillice appeared very nervous and was visibly sweating, even though it was 57 degrees outside.

Sillice was asked to step out of the vehicle to speak with the officers. Once Sillice stepped out of the vehicle, a folding knife was observed in Sillice’s waistband, which was immediately removed.

A pat frisk was conducted on Sillice for further weapons. Due to his furtive movements prior to making contact, the knife on his person, and his excessive nervousness, a search of the front seat area of the vehicle was conducted as well.

During this frisk, a wallet was located in the glove box that Sillice was reaching into. The wallet contained a Rhode Island driver’s license with the name other than Sillice’s and numerous prepaid credit cards. The Rhode Island driver’s license had a photograph of Sillice.

A search of the information obtained from this Rhode Island driver’s license was conducted and no information was located. Given this information, police believed this state ID was fraudulently obtained.

The prepaid credit cards inside this wallet also had the same name imprinted on them – eight prepaid cards in total with this name imprinted, including the credit card used to book the room.

Two prepaid cards were also located with no information embossed on them including expiration dates. Police say this is common in cases of fraudulent credit cards where people emboss their own names on the prepaid cards.

Sillice was informed that he was being placed under arrest and was placed in handcuffs.

Sillice was read his Miranda rights and then asked if he would tell police what was going on. He reportedly explained that he owes some guys some money and he is doing this to pay back his debt. The guys he owes money to gave him all the cards and the driver’s license. He was told to rent these hotel rooms and hand off the key to someone else later that night. He stated that he does not know what the rooms were to be used for.

Sillice was transported to Somerville Police Station Headquarters where he was subsequently charged with identity fraud, violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a blank credit card, credit card forgery, possession of counterfeit credit card, RMV document forgery or misuse, utter false instrument, larceny over $250.