A former Drake University basketball star has pleaded guilty to failing to pay his income taxes for several years. Forty-six-year-old Rodney Wright — also known as “Pop” Wright — got almost 350-thousand dollars from Hy-Vee in 1996, ’97, ’98, ’99 and 2000 for giving anti-drug lectures in schools. But he failed to pay his taxes on that income. Wright, who lives in West Des Moines, could now be sentenced to probation, some time in prison, huge fines or all of the above. But when Wright signed the plea agreement, he did agree to cooperate with the I-R-S in paying his back taxes — with interest — for those five years. He’s to be sentenced December 17th at the federal courthouse in Des Moines.
