Motels – Prostitution and Warrants

[Logan]

I had two nerve wrecking incidents happen to me this past month while in a somewhat shady motel and wanted to know the best way to avoid possible charges.

First, I was at a somewhat shady notel motel taking care of business with a young dancer. After we finish, I walk her to her car and two LE’s are walking on foot patrolling the parking lot and seemingly going from room to room. After my dancer friend drove off, I immediately got in my car and quickly left the premises…

….only to return to LE still on foot walking around (I needed to check out and get my possessions out of the room). I decided to stupidly go back to my room, but luckily they did not come to my room. I watched from my window and saw the two LE eventually get into an unmarked vehicle and leave the motel. I later…

…learned that LE had obtained the guest registry list and ran warrant checks for all those checked in and went to their rooms to make arrests. I later found out that a dancer that I knew staying at this motel was arrested for outstanding warrants during this LE walkabout.

So, my questions – is it legal for the po po to obtain the guest registry list and do warrant checks? Second, if LE came to my door to question me about a warrant or the girls in my room, do I have to open the door and let them in??? If I turned out the lights and hid in the room, could they have gotten a manager to open my room and search inside? For the dancer that was arrested with the warrants - was she required to open the door when they saw her inside?



Second incident was at a motel that I probably shouldn’t ever use for hook-ups again. The desk clerk was suspicious of me and put me in a room next to the front office! I had to request a different room and was reluctantly given one – despite being told that there were not any other rooms available and the parking lot being sparsely populated. Hmmm. So…

…everything is fine until the slutty teenage providers arrive to my room. They had been there for just a few minutes when the front desk suspiciously calls to check on me. They are inquiring about my satisfaction and asking "Is everything OK?" when I had just checked in! WTF! It was very suspicious.

If the front desk had called LE for suspicious behavior or possible prostitution, would I have been required to open the door? Would I have been required to answer questions as to why two slutty teenage girls were in my room when I noted that only I would be in my room?

[sky_wire]

So, my questions – is it legal for the po po to obtain the guest registry list and do warrant checks?

Absolutely! Dallas Morning News can do it too.

Second, if LE came to my door to question me about a warrant or the girls in my room, do I have to open the door and let them in???

If the police know that Mr. X has an arrest warrant, and they further reasonably believe Mr. X is inside that hotel room, they can break the door down and search for him. So you really don't "have" to open the door. They'll open it for you.

[ShysterJon]

I think sky is correct about LE having a right (that is, a right enforceable by law) of access to a hotel's registry. I'm not sure about the media having that right, but I'm skeptical.

btw, anyone who knows a person's name and date of birth can run a warrant check.

As for the other issues Logan brings up, those are discussed in this thread:

"HELP I WAS BUSTED"

[Dstorm]

"If the front desk had called LE for suspicious behavior or possible prostitution, would I have been required to open the door? Would I have been required to answer questions as to why two slutty teenage girls were in my room when I noted that only I would be in my room?"

You will always be required to "open the door" if LE is banging on it. It would be very wise to do so at a hotel, where the manager has a key and can easily gain access.
You would be wise not to tell LE anything after that, regarding slutty teens or otherwise.
Just hope the a really 18 and don't have contraband on them, because, by default you might find yourself being charged with possession of it, since they were in your room.
Also think of how well you can trust them. Do they know how to keep there mouth shut? Will they rat you out because the cop put them in the back of the car and promised to let them go if the rat you out? (even if the cop had nothing to hold the girl for anyway).
All good points to consider...