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The Story County Attorney’s Office Files Criminal Complaint Against Iowa State University Quarterback Hunter Dekkers
The Story County Attorney’s Office has officially filed a criminal complaint against Iowa State University quarterback Hunter Dekkers. Dekkers is being charged with tampering with records related to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling. According to the complaint, Dekkers allegedly placed 26 wagers on Iowa State sporting events, including the 2021 football game against Oklahoma State, when he was a sophomore backup quarterback. Despite not participating in the game, Dekkers is still being accused of tampering with records in relation to his wagers.
The complaint states that the DraftKings account controlled by Dekkers completed approximately 366 mobile/online sports wagers, totaling over $2,799. Under NCAA guidelines, athletes are prohibited from wagering on their own games or other sports at their own schools. If convicted, Dekkers could face permanent loss of eligibility. However, Dekkers’ attorneys have released a statement claiming his innocence and stating that he will plead not guilty to the charges brought against him.
Two Other Iowa State Athletes Also Charged
In addition to Dekkers, two other current Iowa State athletes, Paniro Johnson, a sophomore wrestler, and Dodge Sauser, a sophomore offensive lineman on the football team, have also been charged with tampering with records. Sauser is accused of placing 12 wagers on Iowa State football games, totaling $3,075. Johnson, a Big 12 Conference champion, allegedly placed wagers totaling $45,640 on approximately 1,283 bets, with approximately 25 of those bets placed on Iowa State events.
The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission has stated that they do not believe the integrity of the betting markets has been compromised by the conduct in the probe. However, tampering with records is considered an aggravated misdemeanor and carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in county jail or up to two years in prison if convicted.
Former Cyclone Uwazurike also Accused
Enyi Uwazurike, a former Iowa State defensive lineman who was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 2022 NFL draft, is also facing a complaint of tampering with records. Uwazurike is accused of placing wagers in two games he played in while at Iowa State, as well as placing bets on Broncos games and players during his time in the NFL. All four athletes are being accused of concealing their identities with the intent to deceive or conceal wrongdoing.
Potential Consequences for Iowa State
If Dekkers, Johnson, Sauser, and Uwazurike are found guilty, they would be deemed ineligible for competition and would need to be formally reinstated before they could play again. Losing Dekkers, who started all 12 games for Iowa State last season, would undoubtedly complicate the team’s prospects for the upcoming season. The Cyclones went 4-8 last year and missed a bowl game for the first time since 2016. The team currently has three other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, but the path back to the postseason would likely be more difficult without Dekkers.
The investigation into sports gambling allegations involving student-athletes has affected both Iowa State and the University of Iowa. Iowa State self-reported allegations involving approximately 15 student-athletes from three sports, while the University of Iowa had 26 student-athletes in five men’s sports flagged in the investigation.
As this is a developing story, more information is likely to emerge in the coming days.
