A Los Angeles husband and wife were charged last month after they allegedly used a stolen credit card number to rent a personal watercraft in Lake Havasu City. One has since pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of rendering a false statement to law enforcement.
Lesly Mendoza, 25, was arrested Aug. 19 on charges of fraud, fraudulent use of a credit card and giving a false statement to Lake Havasu City Police officers. Her husband, Douglas O. Mendoza, was also arrested on charges of giving false statements of his own, after his wife reportedly used a victim’s credit card information without permission to rent a boat in Lake Havasu City.
According to court records, Lesly Mendoza pleaded guilty on Sept. 8 to one count of giving a false statement to law enforcement. The charge fraudulent use of a credit card was ultimately dismissed by county prosecutors. Douglas Mendoza’s case remained pending in Lake Havasu Municipal Court as of Friday.
On Aug. 19, Lake Havasu City Police officers were called to a location on the 500 block of Beachcomber Boulevard after receiving reports that a credit card had been fraudulently used to rent a personal watercraft for about $355.
According to the report, the victim became aware of the transaction shortly after it was made, and reported the transaction as fraudulent to the rental business. The renter, identified as 25-year-old Lesly Mendoza, had provided her phone number on the rental agreement.
The business contacted Mendoza, and told her to meet him on Beachcomber Boulevard, where the personal watercraft would be delivered. Mendoza told employees that she would be waiting in a white Ford Explorer.
Officers traveled to the scene, and confronted Mendoza. According to police, Mendoza initially denied renting a personal watercraft, and told officers that she was waiting for friends. Police confronted Mendoza with the rental’s booking confirmation, which included the names of two children in Mendoza’s company as well as Mendoza’s phone number. Mendoza later allegedly admitted to booking the rental through an instagram page, and used a friend’s ID card for the rental agreement.
Police also spoke to Mendoza’s husband, 26-year-old Douglas O. Mendoza, who allegedly repeated his Lesly Mendoza’s statement that they were waiting at the location for a friend.
Lesly Mendoza was arrested at the scene on felony counts including fraud, fraudulent use of a credit card, and one misdemeanor count of rendering a false statement to law enforcement.
Douglas Mendoza was cited and released on charges of rendering a false statement to law enforcement.
