A group of former Iowa State University athletes accused of illegal sports betting have had their charges dropped after prosecutors said the investigation may have been improperly conducted.
Former soccer players Eiyoma Uwazurike, Gilaire Bullock and Isaiah Lee, and former wrestler Paniro Johnson all had their charges dismissed. According to the Des Moines Register of Deeds.
Earlier this week, attorneys for the players wrote to the Iowa Horse Racing and Wagering Commission from GeoComply, a software company that verifies whether users of betting apps like FanDuel and DraftKings are placing bets within state lines where betting is allowed. Published email.
The email alleges that the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) improperly used the tool in its investigation.
Previously, the defense had accused DCI Special Agent Brian Sanger of tracking player bets made at the University of Iowa and Iowa State team facilities without a warrant.
“The state no longer believes that further prosecution is in the interest of justice in this case,” Assistant Storey County Attorney Benjamin McChan wrote Friday in a motion to dismiss the charges.
Defense attorneys also argued that DCI officials lied to the student-athletes that they were the subject of a criminal investigation as a means of eliciting incriminating statements from the student-athletes.
In January, the DCI defended its investigative tactics.
“The evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner,” investigators said in a statement.
Lily Smith/The Register/USA TODAY NETWORK
Mr. Bullock, Mr. Lee and Mr. Uwazurike were all accused of betting on Iowa State games in which they played.
Uwazurike, currently a member of the Broncos, was also suspended by the league after being accused of betting on NFL games in which he participated.
