IOWA — Eleven more former and current Iowa State University and University of Iowa athletes are joining 26 others in a federal lawsuit that accuses Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents of violating their constitutional rights by using warrantless searches in a sports gambling investigation. The athletes are seeking unspecified damages for losses they claim they incurred due to loss of playing time caused by the illegal investigation.
The list of 11 new plaintiffs includes:
- Paniro Johnson
- Terry Roberts
- Brennan Swafford
- Corey Cabanban
- Cameron Jones
- Samuel Schuyler
- Carter Schmidt
- Nathan Schon
- Drew Woodley
- Jeremiah “Trey” Mathis III
- Evan Schuster
They join a list of more than two dozen other athletes named in the initial lawsuit filed earlier this year:
- Eyioma Uwazurike
- Noah Shannon
- Nelson Brands
- Tony Cassioppi
- Jirehl Brock
- Hunter Dekkers
- Isiah Lee
- Arland Bruce IV
- Dodge Sauser
- Deshawn Hanika
- Ahron Ulis
- Aaron Blom
- Jack Johnson
- Jake Remsburg
- Jeremiah Williams
- Harry Bracy
- Howard Brown
- Keaton Anthony
- Jacob Henderson
- Gehrig Christensen
- Benjamin Tallman
- Abe Assad
- Cobe Siebrecht
- Cullan Shriever
- Patrick Kennedy
- Jake English
In 2023, the Iowa DCI launched an investigation into athletes at UI and ISU over concerns of illegal gambling activity. The DCI used a ‘geofence’ to track the flow of digital data in a set area around the schools’ athletic facilities. The results of that geofence were then used to spur a further investigation that lead to charges against dozens of athletes and the investigation of numerous others.
Ultimately, those athletes caught up in the investigation who were underage pled guilty to Underage Gambling. The state dropped the more serious charges of Tampering With Records against the rest after prosecutors admitted that investigators likely broke the law to bring the charges.
Attorneys for the athletes are arguing in a federal lawsuit that the geofence used by the DCI equates to a warrantless search in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution.
The new group of 11 athletes added to the lawsuit includes some who pled guilty to Underage Gambling and some who were never charged at all but were suspended nonetheless from competition.
