Arrest warrant issued for man accused of swindling resort
A criminal complaint was filed against a Michigan man who allegedly posed as two doctors, bilking Nemacolin Woodlands Resort out of more than $16,000 in May.
Jeffrey Paul Cochran, 40, of Scottville was charged by state police with theft by deception and theft of services after allegedly racking up a bill of $16,145 at the the Farmington resort, according to court papers.
In early May, Cochran allegedly made a call to Nemacolin, and identified himself as Dan Renyolds, a doctor at Uniontown Hospital.
As Renyolds, he allegedly told the resort that he was bringing in a doctor named Jeffrey P. Cochran to interview at Uniontown Hospital as a new heart surgeon, and wanted to set up a house account at the resort to pay for Cochran’s stay, according to the criminal complaint.
As his Renyolds persona, he also allegedly told the resort that the visiting doctor was a golf pro, and arranged for a stay at the Falling Rock hotel.
Located near the 18th green of the resort’s Mystic Rock golf course, the Falling Rock hotel has luxury, balcony and suite rooms that, during summer months, have rates that range from $689 to $909 per night.
According to court papers, Cochran arrived at the resort on May 15, posing as a heart doctor, but didn’t check in until May 17. During his stay, Cochran allegedly racked up the $16,000 bill from multiple items from the golf shop, restaurants and the resort spa.
Cochran’s alleged sham had run its course when the resort tried to contact Renyolds on May 28. Police reported that the contact number for Renyolds was the same number as Cochran’s.
“Cochran was seen leaving out the back door shortly after resort staff called the number for Dan Renyolds in an attempt to obtain payment at approximately 10:30,” Trooper Stephen Shurgott wrote in the affidavit of probable cause.
After Nemacolin employee Joseph Michael Brown reported the theft on May 28, he led police to Cochran’s room where they found a copy of Cochran’s social security card and birth certificate, according to the affidavit, but the copy of Cochran’s birth certificate was a reproduction from 2008.
An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday by North Union District Judge Wendy Dennis.