The Iowa Supreme Court has directed that a former Dubuque youth football league president receive a new sentence from a different judge after finding that the original sentencing relied on an unproven claim about the amount of money involved.

Darrell Moore, 40, previously led the Dubuque Independent Football League as its president. In January, he pleaded guilty to first-degree theft. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors recommended two years of probation. Dubuque County District Court Judge Monica Zrinyi Ackley rejected that recommendation and imposed a 10-year prison sentence.

Moore has consistently disputed the higher figure cited at sentencing. Immediately afterward, he stated that the outcome was incorrect and that he had not taken $47,000. The Supreme Court this week determined that Judge Ackley improperly relied on an unproven allegation that Moore misappropriated $47,000. Moore has acknowledged misappropriating $15,000.

The State conceded the error. Prosecutors indicated that the appropriate remedy was to vacate the original sentence and assign the case to a different judge for resentencing. The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with that approach.

Court records indicate that the misappropriated funds came from registration fees and door-to-door fundraisers. Some of the money was deposited into Moore’s FanDuel account and used for various personal expenses, including hotel stays, groceries, gas, and online purchases.

No date has been set for the resentencing hearing.

The ruling focuses solely on the sentencing process and does not alter Moore’s guilty plea to first-degree theft. The case will now return to the district court level for a new determination of the appropriate sentence based on the facts properly established in the record