Ex-Wildcat Davender accused of promising tickets to Final Four

Ex-Wildcat Davender accused of promising tickets to Final Four

By Josh Kegley / jkegley@herald-leader.com


Already facing sentencing on 19 counts of theft by deception, former University of Kentucky basketball star Ed Davender is accused of taking money for 2010 Final Four tickets he didn't have.

Davender, 44, of Georgetown is accused of offering Richard Adams tickets to the 2010 men's Final Four in Indianapolis in early April. At the time he allegedly offered Adams the tickets, Davender was free on bond for the earlier charges.

On Wednesday, an arrest warrant was filed in Fayette District Court charging Davender with theft by deception under $10,000, a felony.

Davender, reached by phone Thursday, said the new charge was a misunderstanding.

"We're trying to get it rectified now," he said. "I definitely wouldn't do the same thing again."

The arrest warrant says Adams wired a total of $4,000 to Davender from Dec. 20 through March 15 in exchange for 14 tickets to the tournament. Davender never produced the tickets and has not returned the money, the document said.

In May, the former player pleaded guilty to taking money from 19 people in amounts from $300 to $23,900. He is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges July 30.

In November, Davender was indicted on 23 counts of theft by deception charges for allegedly running a ticket scam totaling more than $70,000. Many of those charges were amended to misdemeanors, and some were dismissed.

Lexington police originally charged Davender with taking money from at least three people after promising them UK basketball season tickets that he didn't have. A Fayette County grand jury has indicted Davender on charges that he unlawfully obtained money from 19 people "with the intent to permanently deprive them of the money" from May 2003 through August 2009.

According to the indictment, the amount stolen ranges from $300 to $23,900. Initially, the $300 theft charge was the only misdemeanor; the other charges were felonies because each involved more than $300.

Davender has pleaded guilty to similar charges in Fleming and Harrison counties.

It is not clear how the new charge will affect Davender's pending case. His attorney, Steve Romines of Louisville, did not return messages for comment.

A condition of Davender's bond was that he was not to have any further violations of the law. A motion to revoke his bond will be heard Friday.

"It is clear ... the defendant continued to engage in the same type of criminal behavior as he was originally charged with and pled guilty to on May 14," the motion says.

Davender was a UK guard from 1984 through 1988. He is 11th on UK's all-time men's scoring list, with 1,637 career points, and fourth in career steals, with 191. He played his first season under Coach Joe B. Hall and his final three under Eddie Sutton. He was chosen in the third round of the 1988 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets, but he never played in the pro league.
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