Florida man charged in Asheville hotel fraud scheme
IT’S 644 IN TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES. YOUR TRAFFIC AND YOUR WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. THAT’S RIGHT. WE’RE BEGINNING WITH THE FAILURE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REDISTRICTING BILL. STATE SENATORS SIDELINED THE BILL ON TUESDAY. IT WOULD HAVE REDRAWN THE STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS. THE 26 TO 18 VOTE ENDED WEEKS OF DEBATE TRYING TO CHANGE THE STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS TO THE ONES NOW SEEN ON YOUR SCREEN. YESTERDAY, THE GOVERNOR EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE SENATE VOTE. HE WROTE IN PART, QUOTE, PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS TO CONTINUE PURSUING CONSERVATIVE POLICIES THAT MAKE OUR NATION STRONGER. I AM CONFIDENT THAT ONE DAY, SOUTH CAROLINA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WILL BE COMPLETELY REPUBLICAN, END QUOTE. THE BILL WOULD HAVE REDRAWN THE STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AND INCREASE THE REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE FROM SIX TO ONE TO 7 TO 0. BUT SEVERAL REPUBLICANS VOICED OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. I UNDERSTAND THE ANGER AND FRUSTRATION THAT WE COULD NOT PASS A REDISTRICTING BILL ANY FASTER, BUT THE RULE OF LAW IS THE BEDROCK PRINCIPLE OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. AND I WILL EMPHASIZE IT IS ALSO A BEDROCK PRINCIPLE OF CONSERVATISM. SOUTH CAROLINA ISN’T THE ONLY STATE THAT HAS NOT PASSED REDRAWN MAPS FOR OTHER STATES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON STATE, NEW YORK, VIRGINIA AND INDIANA HAVE ALSO REDRAWN MAPS THAT HAVE NOT ADVANCED. REDISTRICTING EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY IN THREE OF THE YELLOW SHADED STATES, INCLUDING GEORGIA, AND THE GREEN REPRESENTS THE EIGHT STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS, WHERE MAPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REDRAWN AND APPROVED. EARLY VOTING FOR SOUTH CAROLINA’S PRIMARY ELECTION IS BREAKING RECORDS. THE PERIOD RUNS FROM RIGHT NOW UNTIL JUNE 5TH, AND IF YOU’RE VOTING BY MAIL, THOSE BALLOTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN ELECTION DAY ON JUNE 9TH. STATE LEADERS SAY A RECORD BREAKING 42,000 PEOPLE CAST THEIR BALLOT YESTERDAY. EARLY VOTING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN DURING THE WEEK AND CLOSED ON HOLIDAYS. A SHOOTING VICTIM IN GREENVILLE COUNTY HAS DIED DAYS AFTER BEING SHOT, AND DEPUTIES SAY THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER IS IN CUSTODY. THE CORONER SAYS 25 YEAR OLD ARCADIUS WILLIAMS WAS FOUND WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND INSIDE A VEHICLE ALONG LEE CROFT DRIVE ON MAY 16TH. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND HE DIED LAST THURSDAY. THE DEATH HAS BEEN RULED A HOMICIDE, AND THESE NEW DETAILS COME AFTER DEPUTIES SAY A SHOOTING TOOK PLACE AFTER AN ARMED ROBBERY AT CLUB VISIONS ON EAST NORTH STREET. DEPUTIES SAY THEY HAVE ARRESTED KINGSTON KELLY AND CHARGED HIM WITH MURDER. HE’S BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND AND A DEATH INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND AT A GREENVILLE COUNTY MOTEL. THE CORONER SAYS THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT THE DAYS INN ON RAY TALLEY COURT, BUT NO OTHER DETAILS HAVE BEEN RELEASED. AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING A HOUSE FIRE IN ANDERSON COUNTY. CREWS TOLD US THEY WERE CALLED TO THE HOME ON SHIRLEY DRIVE ON THURSDAY. THEY ALSO SAY NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS IN CLEMSON UNIVERSITY HISTORY HAS DIED. YESTERDAY MORNING, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH DABO SWINNEY ANNOUNCED THE PASSING OF TERRY DON PHILLIPS. HE WAS THE TIGERS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR TEN YEARS BEFORE RETIRING IN 2012. HE HELPED LEAD THE PROGRAM TO 13 ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS. PHILLIPS ALSO GAVE SWINNEY THE JOB AS HEAD COACH OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM. TERRY DON PHILLIPS WAS 78 YEARS OLD. CLEMSON UNIVERSITY IS ALSO GETTING READY TO PICK UP THE SCHOOL’S NEXT PRESIDENT. THE SCHOOL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS VOTING ON THE SELECTION TODAY. THE SCHOOL’S FORMER PRESIDENT, JIM CLEMENTS, ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT LAST YEAR. THE UNIVERSITY’S GOAL WAS TO HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT SELECTED BEFORE FALL OF THIS YEAR. WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLEMSON’S NEXT PRESIDENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY HERE ON WYFF NEWS FOUR. VICTORIA, IT’S A BIT OF AN EERIE START TO OUR DAY, WITH FOG DEVELOPING IN SOME AREAS, AND IT’S FAIRLY DENSE AS WELL. GREENVILLE RIGHT NOW, VISIBILITY LESS THAN A MILE LESS THAN HALF A MILE IN CLEMSON. ANDERSON AND TOCCOA 2.5. SO TWO AND A HALF IN HARTWELL AND TWO IN ELBERTON. LOOKS LIKE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, ASHEVILLE AND HENDERSONVILLE OVERALL. OKAY, NOW AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, THIS SHOULD BEGIN TO LIFT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE IN AND A COUPLE ISOLATED SHOWERS BACK IN THE FORECAST FOR THE UPSTATE. DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT STORY FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. SO AS WE GO THROUGHOUT MORNING, LIGHT SHOWERS POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS, WE’RE STILL MAINLY DRY HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THEN AS WE GO THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, THIS FRONT BEGINS TO DEVELOP. NOW THIS WILL BRING IN THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS AND CONTINUE TO DROP ITS WAY SOUTH AS IT DOES ANY RAIN OR STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP COULD PACK A PUNCH WHEN IT COMES TO WIND AND HEAVY RAIN, THAT WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY SEEN FLASH FLOODING THIS WEEK, LIKE HENDERSON COUNTY. AS THIS DROP, SOUTH FIZZLES OUT AND UPSTATE STAYS MAINLY DRY, WE’LL TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT FOUR-DAY PLUS HERE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES. AARON, LEAH, HEY THANK YOU VICTORIA. WE’RE TAKING A LIVE LOOK RIGHT NOW ALONG 385 NEAR ROPER MOUNTAIN ROAD. JUST AS YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, VICTORIA. IT’S DEFINITELY KIND OF A GLOOMY START TO OUR WEDNESDAY MORNING, BUT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BRIGHTEN UP YOUR MORNING JUST A LITTLE BIT IS THOSE TRAVEL TIMES. LET’S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT THEM RIGHT NOW. 26, 85, 35 ARE NICE AND GREEN. ALSO IN THE REALM OF TRANSPORTATION, NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS LAUNCHING A NEW VERSION OF ITS TRAVELER INFORMATION WEBSITE. YOU CAN STILL VISIT DRIVE NCDOT.GOV. BUT THE NEW WEBSITE WILL NOW HAVE SOME NEW TOOLS. YOU CAN VIEW TRAFFIC CAMERAS AND NOW DOWNLOAD NCDOT. APP UPDATES ALSO INCLUDE A BRAND NEW MAP. IT LAUNCHES AT 10:00 THIS MORNING. ALSO, THERE’S A NEW DETOUR IN PICKENS COUNTY. YESTERDAY, SCDOT CLOSED THE HESTER STORE ROAD BRIDGE THAT SITS OVER MISSION CREEK. CREWS SAY IT’S FOR A REPLACEMENT AND BRIDGE WORK. DRIVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE DETOURS ALONG HIGHWAY 186, CHEROKEE TRAIL AND THOMAS MILL ROAD. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO WRAP UP NEXT SUMMER, AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA SAYS IT FOUNDED MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH BACK IN 1949, AND EVER SINCE THEN, IT’S LED THE CHARGE EVERY MAY TO PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS. ISABELLE MARAK SPOKE TO THE ORGANIZATION. SHE JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIVES. ISABELLE. YEAH. HEY, LEAH AND AARON. GOOD MORNING. NOW, EXPERTS SAY THERE’S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIVES THAT MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES. SO THAT CAN LOOK LIKE TREADING LIGHTLY BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH AND GIVING PEOPLE THE GRACE TO OPEN THEMSELVES UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY’RE FEELING. OR IT COULD LOOK LIKE TALKING ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES. AND WHEN I WAS HAVING A ROUGH TIME, I DECIDED TO LISTEN TO MUSIC. I DECIDED TO TAKE A WALK. I DECIDED TO PLAY WITH MY DOG. I DECIDED TO DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I THINK ONCE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU JUST CARE AND THAT YOU’RE INVESTED IN THEM, THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO BIGGER THINGS. NOW, IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU CAN GO TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA WEBSITE TO FIND RESOURCES. THAT’S W W W DOT A DASH SC.ORG, OR USE THE NATIONAL WEBSITE AT MHANATIONAL.ORG. THAT INCLUDES AFFORDABLE OPTIONS AS WELL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOUTH CAROLINA RANKS 47TH IN THE NATION FOR ACCESS TO CARE. BUT FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN GREENVILLE, ISABELLE MARAK WYFF NEWS FOR. ISABELLE. THANK YOU. YOUR DAILY HABITS CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR BRAIN HEALTH. THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION IS LAUNCHING THE RETHINK YOUR BRAIN CAMPAIGN TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT STEPS PEOPLE CAN TAKE TO TRY AND PREVENT OR DELAY COGNITIVE DECLINE, EXPERTS SAY IT’S SOMETHING PEOPLE SAY THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT. 9 IN 10 AMERICANS SAY THAT BRAIN HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM, BUT THE DISCONNECT COMES IN BECAUSE FEWER THAN 1 IN 10 ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO TO PROTECT OR MAINTAIN THEIR BRAIN HEALTH. THERE ARE SIX STEPS INVOLVED IN THE ASSOCIATION’S NEW CAMPAIGN, FOCUSED ON THE CHOICES YOU MAKE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND THOSE INCLUDE EXERCISE, STAYING MENTALLY ENGAGED, AND NUTRITION. YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE CHALLENGE AT RETHINK YOUR BRAIN.COM. IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE TOWN OF FRANKLIN WANTS YOUR INPUT TO BEAUTIFY MAIN STREET. THE CURRENT PLAN WILL CHANGE THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS, AND IT AIMS TO TRANSFORM MAIN STREET INTO A MORE INVITING SPACE. THEIR PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AND FRIDAY FROM 11 TO 1 AT 28 MAIN EVENTS. THERE’S AN OPEN HOUS
A Florida man has been charged in Buncombe County, North Carolina, after investigators uncovered a fraud scheme stemming from a local hotel.In January, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office began investigating after they received multiple complaints from the Extended Stay America, which is located on Rocky Ridge Road in Asheville.Officials say the manager at the hotel reported that a group of people were booking rooms through a third-party app.Upon investigation, detectives were able to track the bookings back to multiple victims across the United States whose personal information had been used to book the rooms.Deputies arrested 43-year-old Willie Harold Johnson, of Monticello, Florida, on May 20. Johnson has been charged with:6 counts of felony financial card theft6 counts of felony financial card fraud6 counts of felony obtain property by false pretense6 counts of felony identity theft1 count of felony trafficking in stolen identitiesJohnson is currently being held in the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $700,000 bond.Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. —
A Florida man has been charged in Buncombe County, North Carolina, after investigators uncovered a fraud scheme stemming from a local hotel.
In January, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office began investigating after they received multiple complaints from the Extended Stay America, which is located on Rocky Ridge Road in Asheville.
Officials say the manager at the hotel reported that a group of people were booking rooms through a third-party app.
Upon investigation, detectives were able to track the bookings back to multiple victims across the United States whose personal information had been used to book the rooms.
Deputies arrested 43-year-old Willie Harold Johnson, of Monticello, Florida, on May 20.
Buncombe County Detention Center
Willie Harold Johnson
Johnson has been charged with:
6 counts of felony financial card theft6 counts of felony financial card fraud6 counts of felony obtain property by false pretense6 counts of felony identity theft1 count of felony trafficking in stolen identities
Johnson is currently being held in the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $700,000 bond.
Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.