Iowa State’s starting quarterback from last season is facing a criminal charge and could be ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA after allegedly betting on Iowa State sporting events, including a Cyclones football game.
Hunter Dekkers, who started all 12 games for the Cyclones and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2022, has been charged with tampering with records related to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling. The Des Moines Register reported that Dekkers is accused of placing wagers on 26 Iowa State sporting events, including Iowa State’s football game against Oklahoma State in 2021, when he was the backup quarterback.
The tampering charge stems from Dekkers allegedly attempting to disguise his identity with the help of his parents. Dekkers was under 21, the legal betting age in Iowa, when most of the bets were placed, according to ESPN.
Dekkers’ attorney said in a statement that Dekkers plans to plead not guilty to the charge. While claiming that Dekkers “is in fact not guilty of that charge,” the Weinhardt Law Firm argued that “thousands and thousands of college athletes place bets—usually very small ones—with shared accounts” and that the “charge attempts to criminalize a daily fact of American life.”
Statement on behalf of Hunter Dekkers from The Weinhardt Law Firm, Des Moines:
— Keith Murphy (@MurphyKeith) August 2, 2023
"Hunter Dekkers denies the criminal charge brought against him. He will plead not guilty to that charge because he is in fact not guilty of that
charge.
"This charge attempts to criminalize a daily pic.twitter.com/8M3Y8SP6Su
Guidelines released by the NCAA this summer stipulate that athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools “will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility.” Dekkers will not participate in preseason camp for Iowa State “so he can focus on his studies and on the defense of this criminal charge,” according to his attorney’s statement.
Dekkers is just one of four Iowa State athletes charged with tampering with records after allegedly using third parties to bet while concealing their identities.
Reserve offensive lineman Dodge Sauser, who has not appeared in a game for the Cyclones, allegedly placed wagers on 12 Iowa State football games. Former Iowa State defensive tackle Eyioma Uwazurike, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL last week for betting on NFL games, allegedly bet on two Iowa State games he played in 2021. Iowa State wrestler Paniro Johnson, the reigning Big 12 champion at 149 pounds, allegedly bet on approximately 25 Iowa State sporting events.
The tampering with records charge is classified as an aggravated misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
