In an e-mailed statement, Dane Roller, the hotel's human resources director, said the hotel is conducting its own investigation into the matter.

"As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we contacted the Clayton Police Department," he said. "The police are investigating the incident, and we are cooperating fully throughout the investigation."

Hughes has been suspended from his job at Enterprise, pending the outcome of the police investigation, said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman for the company.

Conrad said Hughes is a sales manager who works in Philadelphia. The company has not interviewed Hughes, but it did perform a background search when he was hired, which came back clear.

Hughes was in St. Louis to attend a training event held at the Sheraton last week and ending at 1 p.m. Saturday, Conrad said. The company does not know who he was visiting at the Ritz, or if the person even exists.

"This is a horrible situation for the family and our hearts go out to them," Conrad said.

Gerry Keenan, 54, who lives down the street from Hughes in West Conshohocken, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, said neighbors are "totally shocked" by the arrest.