Elk City, OK — A 35-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, has been arrested in Elk City after allegedly using a fake identity to claim a stolen rental vehicle. He now faces a series of felony charges.

According to court records, on April 14, a silver 2025 Chevy Tahoe was fraudulently released from a local wrecker service using a bogus email posing as a rental company employee. The vehicle had been previously reported stolen out of Chicago.

The stolen Tahoe was later found parked at a Best Western in Elk City alongside a second rental vehicle — a black Tahoe — occupied by two men. One of them, identified as 34-year-old Richard Tate of Chicago, was linked to the original pickup of the stolen SUV through ID verification.

When approached by officers at the hotel, Tate confirmed his identity and was taken into custody.

In addition to the original charges of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Violation of the Computer Crimes Act, Tate also faces the following charges:

• Bringing Contraband into Jail/Penal Institution

• False Making of a Credit Card

• Obstructing an Officer

• Possession of Marijuana Without a Medical Marijuana License

Tate was booked into the Beckham County Jail. His bond has been set at $20,000. The investigation is ongoing.