Dykstra faces 25 more charges

The strange case of Lenny Dykstra continues.

A month after being indicted in federal court on charges related to bankruptcy fraud, Dykstra was charged today with multiple counts of trying to lease cars using phony business and credit information, and with drug possession by the Los Angeles County Prosecutor's Office.

Dykstra and two co-defendants were scheduled to be arraigned today in San Fernando Superior Court. Deputy District Attorney Alex Karkanen with the auto insurance fraud division said that he will ask bail be set at $500,000 for all three.

The two co-defendants are Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, and Christopher Gavanis, 30, a friend.

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.

The state case is likely to be delayed until the federal case against Dykstra is resolved, a spokeswoman said. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles last month brought 13 counts against Dykstra, including bankruptcy fraud, obstruction of justice, concealing property from the bankruptcy estate, and other charges. If found guilty of all charges, Dykstra faces a maximum of 80 years in prison.

According to prosecutors, beginning in January, the three tried to lease various high-end automobiles from several dealerships by allegedly providing fraudulent information and claiming credit through a phony business, Home Free Systems.

At 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.