Judge grants deferred sentence to former UI Athletics IT director for enticing teen

IOWA CITY — A former Iowa Athletics assistant IT director received probation and a deferred sentence Thursday for enticing who he believed was a girl under 16 and sending her pornographic photos, video and “hundreds” of messages in a pursuit to have sex with her.

Mark Joseph Sevcik, 68, pleaded guilty in September one count of enticing a minor under 16, a Class D felony, and phone dissemination of obscene material to a minor, an aggravated misdemeanor. The other felony of enticing a minor under 16 and two other charges of phone dissemination of obscene material to a minor were dismissed as part of plea agreement.

Sixth Judicial Associate District Judge Brandon Schrock gave Sevcik two years probation and a deferred sentence — meaning if Sevcik completes his probation without serious violations, he can ask the court to dismiss the charge and expunge his criminal record.

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith said the deferred sentence was granted over the prosecution’s objection. A prosecutor recommended running the seven- and two-year prisons terms consecutively but then suspending those for two years probation. If the court had agreed, the convictions would remain on Sevcik’s record.

According to a criminal complaint, from August 2023 through January 2024, Sevcik contacted an undercover officer posing as a underage girl on various online social media platforms. Sevcik acknowledged he believed the person to be a teen under 16.

During these conversations, he sent dozens of “obscene” and graphic photos and videos, the complaint stated. He also told the person he wanted to perform sex acts, the complaint stated.

According to a search warrant affidavit, Sevcik also sent her “hundreds of messages” and a graphic photo of himself. He bought underwear for the girl and “encouraged” her to delete communications between them.

Police obtained a search warrant for Sevcik’s vehicle and said they found the underwear, along with condoms.

The University of Iowa, in a statement, confirmed Sevcik is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case after he was charged.

Sevcik was also charged in a separate case Jan. 3, 2024 with interference with officials acts, a simple misdemeanor. He was being detained by officers and asked to turn over his phone because they had a search warrant, according to a complaint. Sevcik pulled away from officers and tried to conceal his phone, the records showed.

Sevcik then attempted to turn off his cellphone and had to be physically restrained by the officers so they could retrieve his phone, the complaint stated. According to the complaint, he was detained by officers at a fast-food restaurant on Mormon Trek Boulevard.

That charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement in the enticement case, Zimmermann Smith said.

Sevcik was initially placed on administrative leave after his arrest in the enticement case, but then fired from the university March 11, 2024 for violating policies. He wasn’t fired over the criminal case. He was terminated for transferring his complimentary employee tickets for women’s basketball games to his adult son, who then sold them over a third-party website.

An administrative law judge then ruled Sevcik could collect unemployment because his actions were not disqualifying job-related misconduct.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com