ISU defensive back David Sims pleaded guilty Monday to unauthorized use of a credit card and received 18 months probation.

Associate District Judge James Malloy said he was approving the request for deferred judgment because Sims already had repaid the victim $615 that was charged on the credit card and did not have a previous criminal record.

“You made some really bad choices; you made choices that could brand you as a thief,” Malloy said to Sims during the sentencing hearing Monday. “But you also made some good choices; you owned up to it by pleading guilty today.”

Sims was charged July 27 with unauthorized use of a credit card after he used Veronica Gonzalez‘s credit card to buy two pair of tennis shoes, gas and groceries, according to police records.

Gonzalez, who lives in Des Moines, lent the credit card to her son, who took it to Ames. At some point during the night, the card was lost or stolen and used at several Ames businesses. Gonzalez reported the credit card stolen July 19.

If Sims completes probation without getting in trouble with the law, the charge will be taken off his record. However, if Sims violates his probation, he could face a two-year prison sentence.

Both Story County Attorney Stephen Holmes and Sims‘ attorney, Matthew Boles, told Malloy that Sims has been cooperative with the police.

“From the beginning, after it happened, I knew that it was a bad choice,” Sims said during the hearing. “I’m not the type of person that makes bad choices. I’m the type of person to get other people out of their bad choices.”

Holmes said this sentencing was typical for this type of crime.

“I’m not surprised by the outcome. The judge gave the usual sentence for someone without a criminal record.” Holmes said.

Boles and Sims and had no comment on the outcome of the trial.

Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.