Dykstra Pleads Not Guilty

Former New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Lenny Dykstra pleaded not guilty Monday to federal bankruptcy fraud charges, one week after he was charged in state court with 25 criminal counts.

The 48-year-old ex-baseball star, who is in state custody, entered the plea in Los Angeles federal court to charges stemming from the alleged sale of property taken from his $18 million mansion in Ventura County.

Trial for Dykstra, known by the nickname "Nails," was set for Aug. 9 before U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson.

A 13-count federal indictment returned May 6 charges Dykstra with one count each of bankruptcy fraud and obstruction of justice, four counts each of concealing property from the bankruptcy estate and making false declarations to the Bankruptcy Court, and three counts of embezzlement from the bankruptcy estate.

Federal prosecutors allege that after he filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2009, Dykstra looted his Sherwood Estates mansion, lied about who stripped the home and denied receiving money for having sold items that were owned by the Bankruptcy Estate.

According to court documents, an attorney hired by the bankruptcy trustee estimates that Dykstra stole and destroyed more than $400,000 worth of property in the estate.

More: Dykstra Case

All of the charges in the indictment carry a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, except for obstruction of justice, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

If he is convicted of all 13 counts in the indictment, Dykstra would face a maximum possible penalty of 80 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Dykstra's bankruptcy case is still pending in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Woodland Hills.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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