Former NCAA QB cleared of child pornography charges breaks silence after 8 months.
Jalen Kitna Breaks Silence on Child Pornography Charges
Jalen Kitna, the former University of Florida quarterback, is finally speaking out about his arrest on child pornography charges. Last November, the 20-year-old athlete was accused of possessing and sharing explicit images of a minor online, according to TMZ.
Initially facing five felony child pornography charges, Kitna recently had the charges dropped as part of a plea deal, pleading “no contest” to two separate misdemeanor charges, as reported by ESPN.
Now, Kitna is taking the opportunity to set the record straight. In a statement published by TMZ, he expressed his decision to remain silent for the past eight months out of respect for the legal process. He maintained that the accusations against him as a teenager were inaccurate and would ultimately be proven false.
“The extensive 6-month-long investigation brought the prosecution to the conclusion I knew all along — this was not a child pornography case,” Kitna stated.
Kitna went on to provide details about his arrest and the events that unfolded. He explained that detectives arrived early in the morning on November 30, 2022, when he was 19 years old, and began questioning him about his pornography use. Despite being shocked by their allegations, Kitna cooperated fully, sharing all his passwords and hiding nothing from them.
“They told me an image I shared online was potentially of an underage female,” Kitna recalled. “I was shocked because I had found it on an easily accessible, legal site, and I was never looking for illegal material.”
Despite his protestations, Kitna was arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography. However, he maintained his innocence, stating, “I knew that I had not searched out and shared illegal pictures.”
Following his arrest, Kitna was kicked off the Florida Gators team and banned from campus until 2025. However, he underwent an evaluation by a specialized physician who confirmed that he had no “deviant characteristics.”
“After a full day of evaluation and testing by a specialized doctor of 40+ years, the doctor determined I have no deviant characteristics, had normal interests as a teenager, and I’m in the lowest possible percentile for likelihood to commit a crime,” Kitna explained.
Kitna emphasized that his no contest plea did not equate to an admission of guilt. He clarified that there was no conviction, as he was not adjudicated by the court, and all his devices were returned by the police because they contained no illegal material. The University of Florida also lifted the campus ban imposed during the investigation.
Despite the challenges he has faced, Kitna remains hopeful for his future. He expressed his determination to learn from this experience and use his story to help others avoid the pitfalls of naive technology use.
“I am determined to use my story to help others avoid the pitfalls of naive technology use,” Kitna concluded.
With the continued support of his loved ones and the hope for understanding from others, Kitna is eager to pursue his football career and achieve the life he has worked hard for.
Source: Ex-NCAA QB Cleared of Child Pornography Charges Speaks Out After 8 Months of Silence
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