A grand jury writ allowed Brewton police to arrest a man that has been the subject of an investigation since February.
Tabauren Dortch, 100 Harrison Ave., East Brewton, is facing nearly a dozen charges in connection with the alleged theft and use of credit/debit cards from two victims.
Lt. Brock Holt said the suspect has been employed as a member of the maintenance staff at Quality Inn on South Boulevard and that position gave him opportunity to take advantage of the victims in the case.
“One of the victims is from Mississippi and one is from Georgia,” Holt said. “We have been investigating this case since February and presented our findings to the grand jury. The information earned a grand jury indictment for Dortch. He now faces a long list of charges.”
Holt said Dortch used the credit/debit cards at a variety of retailers and on-line merchants after he gained access to the cards.
“He racked up more than $2,500 in purchases with the cards,” Holt said. “He even had some of those purchases shipped to his home address. That made it a little easier to zero in on the suspect responsible for the charges on the cards.”
Holt said the facts surrounding this case and the two out-of-state victims is disheartening for the department.
“Any crime against another person is bad and we do our best to fight that every day,” Holt said. “But, this kind of crime is worse because it reflects badly on the entire city.”
Dortch has been charged with two counts of identity theft, first-degree theft by deception; and eight counts of fraudulent use of a debit/credit card.
Dortch was taken into custody and transported to the Escambia County Detention Center where he was booked on the charges.
Officials say he was released Monday on a $15,000 bond.