Michigan Man Charged in Dakota County Hotel Swindle; Previously Sentenced in Similar Hennepin County Case
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Published: February 13th, 2026
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN — A Michigan man previously convicted in Hennepin County for swindling a hotel is now facing a new felony charge in Dakota County after allegedly failing to pay for nearly three weeks of lodging at a Mendota Heights hotel.
Dakota County Case
According to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County, Erik Austin Willis, 44, is charged with one count of Theft by Swindle (Aggregating) – Over $1,000 but not more than $5,000, a felony under Minnesota Statute 609.52.2(a)(4).
The complaint alleges that between November 26 and December 16, 2025, Willis stayed at a hotel in the 1300 block of Northland Drive in Mendota Heights without paying. Officers with the Mendota Heights Police Department were called to the hotel on December 16, 2025, after staff reported a guest checking out without settling his bill.
Hotel management told police that Willis had been staying at the property since late November and had never provided a valid form of payment. Investigators allege that Willis checked in under the name “Erik Silver” and told hotel staff that he worked for Delta Air Lines, claiming his luggage and wallet had been lost and that the airline would be covering the cost of his stay. When confronted, the complaint states Willis gave hotel management what was described as a “convoluted story” about who was responsible for payment. The total unpaid balance for his stay was $1,492.20 with tax ($1,380 before tax).
Willis was arrested at the scene.
Court documents indicate Willis does not have a current address and is originally from Michigan. Prosecutors requested a $10,000 bench warrant covering Minnesota and surrounding states due to concerns about his whereabouts and history. Court records show he was arrested by the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office on February 12, 2026.
2025 Hennepin County Case
In that earlier case, Willis was charged in Hennepin County with felony theft by swindling after allegedly staying at the Hampton Hotel at 5400 American Boulevard West in Bloomington from December 18, 2024, through January 9, 2025.
According to the complaint, hotel management reported that Willis claimed his company credit card was in luggage lost by an airline. He was allowed to check in and remained at the hotel for approximately 20 nights, charging food items to his room. He never provided a credit card and eventually left the property without paying.
The unpaid balance in that case totaled $2,720.
Police later determined Willis had checked in under the name “Scott Mikel” and provided an address that did not exist. Investigators matched his driver’s license photo to hotel surveillance footage and obtained phone records confirming contact between Willis and hotel management.
Court records show Willis had multiple active warrants in other states, including Tennessee, Michigan, and Iowa, at the time of the Hennepin County investigation.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing in Hennepin County
Willis ultimately pleaded guilty in the Hennepin County case. According to the Sentencing Order filed on September 15, 2025, he was convicted of Theft by Swindle involving property or services valued between $1,001 and $5,000. Although originally charged as a felony, the conviction was reduced to a gross misdemeanor, reflecting a downward departure from typical felony sentencing guidelines.
Under the court’s order:
Willis was sentenced to 364 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse, with 364 days stayed for one year.
He was also sentenced to 94 days in the workhouse, which he served with 94 days credit for time served.
He was placed on supervised probation for one year through Hennepin County Community Corrections.
He was ordered to pay $2,719.91 in restitution to the Hampton Hotel.
He was also ordered to stay away from the Hampton Hotel in Bloomington.
A Departure Report filed with the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission on September 15, 2025, confirms that the court imposed a mitigated departure from standard felony sentencing guidelines, citing his remorse and acceptance of responsibility.
Pattern Alleged
The Dakota County complaint alleges that the Mendota Heights case follows a similar pattern to the Bloomington incident: using a false name, claiming lost luggage and corporate payment arrangements, and failing to provide valid payment while accumulating significant lodging charges.
If convicted of the felony theft-by-swindle charge, Willis faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a fine between $3,000 and $10,000, according to the charging documents.
As with all criminal cases, the charges in Dakota County represent allegations, and Willis is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Written by: Will Wight
