Police flooded with calls about Davender | Lexington Herald Leader

Lexington police say they have received between 75 and 100 calls — some from outside Fayette County — about an alleged ticket scam involving former University of Kentucky basketball star Ed Davender, who was arrested Tuesday.

Davender, 43, of Georgetown is accused of taking money from at least three people and promising them UK basketball season tickets that he didn't have, police say.

Police said that they had received about a dozen calls after Davender's arrest, but that the number of calls had ballooned by Friday. Additional charges have not been filed.

Lexington police Commander Ron Compton said police might not be able to investigate all of the allegations because some are outside the county, but "we're contacting everyone who contacts us."

Davender's attorney, Stephen McFayden, has said that his client never intended to defraud anyone, and that there was a miscommunication between parties. On Friday, McFayden told the Herald-Leader that people will come forward in the next few weeks who say they sold the former player tickets that he would have then sold to his accusers.

"Just as people have come out of the woodwork (to say they were victims of Davender), I have people who will come forward saying they have sold him their tickets," McFayden said.

Police have charged the former UK guard with three felony counts of theft by deception. The three alleged victims who have been identified gave Davender a total of $5,846, according to court records, after he offered to sell them tickets for the 2009-10 season.

Davender pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday during an arraignment in district court. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. He was released from the Fayette County Detention Center Wednesday night after posting bond.

Davender was a UK guard from 1984-85 through 1987-88. He is 11th on UK's all-time men's scoring list, with 1,637 career points.