Ex-UF QB Jalen Kitna pleas on child pornography allegations
Former University of Florida backup quarterback Jalen Kitna will be charged with two counts of disorderly conduct stemming his arrest for child pornography in late November 2022.
Kitna reached a plea agreement Wednesday that drops five felony child pornography charges with the State Attorney’s Office for the Eighth Judicial Circuit in Alachua County. The two second-degree misdemeanors each carry a maximum sentence of 60 days in jail and $500 fine.
Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Susan Miller-Jones placed Kitna on six months probation for each count but did not levy a fine. If Kitna adheres to terms of the agreement, he could be released from the second six-month probationary period.
Kitna, the son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, appeared Wednesday at Alachua County Courthouse represented by Gainesville attorney Ron Kozlowski. Assistant State Attorney Brooke King accepted the plea deal.
Wearing a navy blue blazer and with his father and mother, Jennifer, seated behind him, Jalen Kitna read a statement.
“I want to start off by apologizing to my family, my friends and those that care about me,” he said. “Their support through this whole ordeal has meant a lot to me. The hardest thing about this whole process has been seeing how it’s affected them.
“The valuable lessons that I’ve learned through this whole deal have been very helpful. I’m looking forward to applying those things and moving forward.”
Blacks Law Dictionary defines disorderly conduct any behavior contrary to law, but more specifically an act that disturbs the public peace or decorum, scandalizes the community or shocks the public sense of morality.
Police arrested Kitna Nov. 30, 2022, on five felony child pornography charges and booked him into Alachua County Jail. Kitna posted an $80,000 bond Dec. 1 after he’d appeared at Alachua County Courthouse.
Gainesville Police spokesman David Chudzik said in December that Kitna was arrested for two counts of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography.
According to GPD, an investigation revealed Kitna shared two images on the website Discord.com but believed them to be “legal” since he found them online. Kitna stated he realized he should not have shared the images based on the reaction of the person with whom he shared them.
After Kitna’s electronic devices were seized as part of a search warrant, investigators discovered three additional images police could be problematic. This led to Kitna’s arrest.
A deeper forensic search of Kitna’s computer and mobile devices did not turn up any additional evidence, a source told The Orlando Sentinel.
In addition to setting a bond, Judge Meshon T. Rawls denied Kitna future internet access or unsupervised contact with minors younger than age 18.
Kitna returned home with his family to Burleson, Texas, where he was a 3-star recruit who signed with the Gators in 2021. The family moved this past winter to Ohio, where his father now coaches Lakota East High School in Cincinnati. Jon Kitna played five seasons with the NFL’s Bengals.
Kitna completed online classes focused on advertising during the spring semester at UF. The university banned him from campus until November 2025.
“What we’ve got here today is a result that’s fair, and the right result,” Kozlowski told the Sentinel following the verdict. “Obviously the state agrees, and we feel good about that. This is going give Jalen an opportunity to move on to the next step, whatever that is.”
Judge Miller-Jones addressed Kitna after his statement.
“My hope is that we never cross cross paths again,” she said. “Go do something great with the rest of your life.”
Kitna will continue to seek life skills counseling, Kozlowski said. XX was only following a thorough evaluation. told the court
“We applaud the state for the thoroughness of its investigation, not only of the case, but also Jalen,” said Jacksonville attorney Hank Coxe, who served as co-counsel. “That’s why we say it’s the right result in the state shares our perspective.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
Source: Orlando Sentinel
