Image by Sportech via FlickrSAN FERNANDO – Former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra was charged today with multiple counts of trying to lease cars using phony business and credit information and with drug possession, the District Attorney’s office announced.Dykstra, 48, and two co-defendants --Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, and Christopher Gavanis, 30, a friend -- were charged today in case PA070678. They are scheduled to be arraigned today at San Fernando Superior Court, Department S, said Deputy District Attorney Alex Karkanen with the Auto Insurance Fraud Division. He will ask bail be set at $500,000 for all three.
Beginning in January, Dykstra, Hymers and Gavanis tried to lease various high-end automobiles from several area dealerships by allegedly providing fraudulent information and claiming credit through a phony business, Home Free Systems.
Image by wallyg via FlickrAt two dealerships, Dykstra and Hymers allegedly provided information from a man they claimed was a co-signer but who had not authorized his name to be used. Leases were not approved at two dealerships. However, all three men allegedly drove off with three cars at one company by providing fraudulent information.
When Dykstra was arrested April 14 by LAPD detectives investigating the case, they executed a search warrant at his Encino home. Police allegedly found cocaine and Ecstasy along with Somatropin, a synthetic human growth hormone.
Dykstra is charged with five counts of attempted grand theft auto, eight counts of filing false financial statements, four counts of identity theft, three counts of grand theft auto and three counts of possession of a controlled substance. All are felonies.
In addition, he is charged with one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and unauthorized possession of a syringe. If convicted, Dykstra faces up to 12 years in state prison. In a separate case, Dykstra was indicted in May on a federal bankruptcy fraud charge.
