Betting Charges Against Iowa State Dropped After State Misses Indictment Window

An Iowa State football player accused of breaching sports betting regulations is no longer facing legal action after the case was dismissed.

A judge in Story County granted a motion on Monday to dismiss a misdemeanor charge against DeShawn Hanika for tampering with records because the state dragged its feet. Prosecutors had 45 days to indict the accused after he waived a preliminary trial, per state law.

Hanika’s attorneys requested the dismissal after he was indicted on Sept. 28, four days after the Sept. 24 deadline had passed. The prosecutors agreed to dismiss the case.

Hanika, senior tight end, was among over a dozen individuals who were implicated in an investigation into illegal sports betting practices at Iowa and Iowa State. Charges included placing bets while underage, using third parties to facilitate betting habits, and wagering on games players were involved in.

According to the reports, Hanika was said to have placed 288 bets, including 70 on Iowa State basketball. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The NCAA strictly forbids student-athletes from participating in sports betting. A recent update to the rulebook included punishment standards for a variety of infractions, ranging from mild reprimands to a permanent loss of athletic eligibility.

Hanika, standing 6-foot-6, caught 17 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns last season. He is still on the university’s football roster but has not appeared this season.

Four criminal cases involving Iowa State athletes are still pending a resolution.

Defensive lineman Isaiah Lee and running back Jirehl Brock were both removed from the roster and face misdemeanor charges for tampering with records and a felony identity theft charge. Wrestler Paniro Johnson has also been charged with the same infractions.

Johnson is scheduled for trial later this month, and Lee and Brock are due to appear in court in November. Johnson is said to have conspired with and used an identity belonging to someone other than himself to earn at least $1,500.

The most notable figure involved in the ongoing investigations is Denver Broncos and former ISU defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike, who was suspended by the NFL for allegedly betting on games.

Usazurike is also said to have placed more than 800 bets equaling more than $21,000 from February 2021-July 2022, including several on ISU games he was involved in.

The punishment for Class D felony identity theft in Iowa comes with a jail sentence of up to five years and a fine ranging from $750-7,500.

Uwazurike has not been handed a trial date. He asked police to dismiss the charges that he claims are part of a “smear campaign.”

The NCAA has struggled to keep its athletes away from legal sportsbooks ever since sports betting was legalized federally in 2018. NCAA President Charlie Baker confirmed earlier this year there have been 175 violations of the sports wagering policy in the last five years, and that number is growing quickly.

Cases have not been restricted to athletes placing bets or getting affiliates to wager on their behalf. In the spring, Alabama’s baseball coach shared sensitive information with a colleague that led to the man placing a $100,000 bet that Bama would lose (a bet they won). Investigators were able to confirm the man had been in close contact with the coach and knew the team’s star pitcher was going to be a late scratch.

Employees at BetMGM Sportsbook in Cincinnati, Ohio blocked the wager, and betting lines for the game were pulled from most sportsbooks.