After a few months following their initial gambling charges, some current and former Iowa State athletes are still dealing with their charges while others’ cases have been resolved.
Eyioma Uwazurike
Charges – Tampering with records, identity theft under $1,500
Status – Hearing on motions Oct. 19
The former Iowa State defensive end appeared in 60 games over five seasons and received First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2021. He allegedly used a female name to “disguise his identity” from February 2021 to July 2022 to place more than $21,000 in bets.
Uwazurike was a 2022 fourth-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos. In a separate matter, according to a July press release from the NFL, he violated the league’s gambling policy by betting on NFL games during the 2022 season and cannot petition for reinstatement “earlier than July 24, 2024.”
Paniro Johnson
Charges – Tampering with records, identity theft over $1,500 (Class D felony)
Status- Pretrial conference Oct. 10, jury trial Oct. 24
Johnson completed his first wrestling season last spring and was the Big 12 champion in the 149-pound weight class. He is listed on the 2023-24 Iowa State wrestling roster.
The charges come after Johnson allegedly used his mother’s name to wager more than $45,000.
Jirehl Brock
Charges – Tampering with records, identity theft over $1,500 (Class D felony)
Status – Pretrial conference Nov. 7, jury trial Nov. 21
As a runningback on the Iowa State football team last season, Brock rushed for 445 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games. Following the investigation, he voluntarily left the team in late August and is not listed in the Iowa State directory.
Brock allegedly bet more than $12,000 with over 1,300 wagers from February 2022 to February 2023, including three Iowa State football games.
Isaiah Lee
Charges – Tampering with records, identity theft over $1,500 (Class D felony)
Status – Pretrial conference Nov. 7, jury trial date Nov. 21
Lee started all 12 games last season as a defensive lineman and voluntarily left the team in August. He allegedly bet 115 times for $885 and placed bets on 12 Iowa State football games. One of those included a bet for Texas to beat Iowa State in 2021 when Iowa State won 30-7.
DeShawn Hanika
Charges – Tampering with records, identity theft over $1,500 (Class D felony)
Status – Case dismissed
According to court records, Hanika’s case was dismissed due to “costs to the State.” The senior tight end is still on the Iowa State football roster. In 2022, he appeared in all 12 games and had 12 receptions and four touchdowns.
Hunter Dekkers, Dodge Sauser, Jake Remsburg, Jeremiah Williams
Charges – Tampering with records
Status – Pled guilty to a lesser charge
All four athletes were tried individually but had their cases resolved when they pled guilty to an underage gambling violation, which included a $645 fine.
Dekkers had a 4-8 record in 2022 as the former Iowa State starting quarterback and played in 19 total games in three seasons. He is still on the roster and according to the Iowa State directory, he is a senior majoring in communication studies.
Sauser was an offensive lineman but did not appear in a game after redshirting in 2021 and being a squad member in 2022. According to their roster, he is now a member of the Iowa Central Community College football team.
Remsburg started six games at right tackle in 2022 and missed the first four games due to injury. He was the 2023 recipient of the Nick Bassett Perseverance Award and academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Remsburg is still on the roster and is listed in the Iowa State directory as a non-degree in liberal arts and sciences specials.
Williams played two years at Temple University before transferring to Iowa State for basketball, but prior to the 2022-23 season, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury and missed the entire season. At the end of the season, he transferred to Rutgers University.
