Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna, the son of former Dallas Cowboys and NFL QB and coach Jon Kitna, has been arrested on child pornography charges, according to multiple reports.
Jalen Kitna, 19, was booked into Alachua County Jail at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday, per law enforcement records. CBS4 in Gainesville was among the first to report that a police spokesperson said Kitna was booked on charges related to child pornography.
Kitna will now be facing three counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child exploitation material, according to TMZ.
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna,” said the University of Florida in a statement. “These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior. Jalen has been suspended indefinitely from the football program.”
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children apparently informed police of the issue. Kitna allegedly told police he shared photos but thought it was “legal” because he found them online. A subsequent search of his devices found three more child sex abuse images.
Kitna is a redshirt freshman from Burleson, where he was coached by his father, who appeared in four games for the Gators in 2022, completing 10 of his 14 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.
He was reportedly a candidate to start for Florida in their upcoming bowl game depending on the availability of starting quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Jon Kitna, who went into coaching after his lengthy stint in the NFL, played for the Seahawks, Bengals, Lions and Cowboys during his 14-year career.
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