(Otto Mation) Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 GALVESTON, Texas – A ship captain for Majestic Ventures, Majestic Dinner Cruises and Majestic Yacht Charters dinner cruise lines has entered a guilty plea to aggravated identity theft and making false statements in a passport application, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Cynthia Lyerla, 53, of League City, admitted to obtaining the birth certificate of Christina White in 1992 and then using that identity to obtain a second Social Security number. She was also able to obtain driver’s licenses, passports, mariner licenses and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) documentation allowing her to enter secure port areas. Without a mariner license and TSA documentation, Lyerla would not be allowed to captain the ships for the dinner cruise companies. The real Christina White died in 1965 on the same day she was born. Cynthia Lynn Knox was born in 1964, later married Harold Lyerla and took his name. The marriage ended when Harold Lyerla was murdered in 1988 in Lompoc, California. Although another individual was convicted for that crime, Lyerla’s fingerprints were taken by the local police in the course of the investigation. Since that time, Lyerla used the identity of Christina White, providing her date and place of birth, Social Security number and parents’ names in order to apply for and obtain various legal documentation. Authorities discovered Lyerla’s true identity when her fingerprints were taken in connection with a mariner license application and compared to those taken in 1988 and 1989 during the investigation into the murder of her husband. Additionally, a retired California police detective, who investigated that murder, positively identified the defendant as Lyerla. United States District Judge George C. Hanks accepted the plea and has set sentencing for June 7, 2017. At that time, Lyerla faces up to 10 years for making false statements in a passport application as well as a mandatory 24 months for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. The Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman is prosecuting the case. The post Dinner Cruise Ship Captain Convicted of Using Stolen Identity appeared first on Covering Katy News. View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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