Former Florida Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna entered into a plea deal that will see him charged with two second-degree misdemeanors stemming from child pornography allegations. The two counts of disorderly conduct each involve a maximum sentence of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine and, as a result of the plea agreement, the five felony child pornography charges will be dropped.
Gainesville (Fla.) police found that Kitna shared two images over the internet last November that he believed were legal. His electronic devices were seized as part of the search warrant where investigators found three more problematic images, and the Orlando Sentinel reported that another search of the devices did not reveal the existence of any more images.
"I want to start off by apologizing to my family, my friends, and those that care about me," Kitna said in a statement in court. "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."
He added, "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."
Kitna played in four games last season, completing 10 of 14 pass attempts and a touchdown against Eastern Washington.
The son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, the quarterback pledged to Florida two years ago and was expected to be in the mix for the Gators' starting position for this season after the departure of Anthony Richardson to the NFL Draft.
Kitna was removed from the Gators football program in December after his arrest and was banned from being on the UF campus until 2025.
(Sentinel)
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