Four former Iowa State athletes filed a motion in court on Tuesday, seeking to suppress evidence and dismiss charges stemming from underage sports betting.
Attorneys for former college athletes Isaiah Lee, Jirehi Brock, Enyi Uwazurike, and Paniro Johnson filed a motion in Story County, seeking to suppress evidence that they claim was illegally obtained.
The four former athletes were among roughly two dozen students charged with identity theft and records tampering. The students – too young to legally wager on sports – bet online using the identities of family and friends. Most of the students have already pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of underage gambling. These four athletes, however, are choosing to legally contest the charges.
The lawyers argue that investigators illegally used geolocation software to collect evidence. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) used a software program to track online gambling activity within the college athletic facilities. An Iowa Department of Public Safety statement claims that the data was obtained in a “constitutionally permissible manner.”
The lawyers contend that there wasn’t probable cause – or a warrant – supporting the software’s use. The attorneys also note that the software’s provider, GeoComply, has since terminated the DCI’s access to its product citing violations of its user agreement.
As legal sports betting continues to spread across the country, more cases like these are likely to emerge. College athletes may continue to be at the epicenter of these cases, given the often-competing concerns over underage gambling, the integrity of sporting events, and the protection of civil liberties.