Former Florida football quarterback Jalen Kitna has broken his silence and spoken out for the first time since pleading no contest to two misdemeanors last month, following his involvement in a case related to child pornography charges.
The former Gator had faced five felony charges stemming from his November arrest, but those charges were dismissed after he pleaded no contest to two counts of disorderly conduct on July 5th.
As a result of his plea deal, Kitna was sentenced to one year of probation and will not face jail time or be required to register as a sex offender.
In a statement provided to TMZ, Kitna expressed his feelings about the legal process and the allegations against him.
“Out of respect to the legal process, I have chosen to remain silent for the last eight months, knowing that the accusations levied against me as a teenager were not accurate and would be proven to be untrue. The extensive six-month-long investigation led the prosecution to the conclusion I knew all along – this was not a child pornography case,” Kitna said.
Detailing the events surrounding his arrest, Kitna continued, “On November 30, 2022, at the age of 19, detectives arrived early in the morning and started asking about my pornography use. I was totally compliant, I shared all my passwords, and hid nothing from them.”
“They told me an image I shared online was potentially of an underage female. I was shocked because I had found it on an easily accessible, legal site, and I was never looking for illegal material. The photo included only a portion of the female body, and I had no reason to believe the photo might be illegal.”
Eight months after being arrested on child pornography charges, QB Jalen Kitna is telling his side of the story.
"This was not a child pornography case."https://t.co/3cUnCrMskN
— OutKick (@Outkick) August 5, 2023
Kitna, the son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, had joined the Florida Gators in 2021 as a four-star recruit from Burleson, Texas. He redshirted as a freshman and made appearances in four games as a backup during the last season, showcasing his potential by throwing for 181 yards and a touchdown while completing 10-of-14 passes.
However, his promising college football career took a major hit when he was arrested by Gainesville police on November 30th, facing three counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child exploitation material.
The university immediately suspended Kitna, leading to his eventual dismissal from the team and a ban on setting foot on campus until 2025.
Despite the tumultuous period, Kitna has taken steps to move forward, officially entering the transfer portal on July 10th, less than a week after the felony charges against him were dropped.
The decision opens up new possibilities for him, as he is anxious to continue his football career and still has three years of collegiate eligibility remaining.
