Jalen Kitna releases statement after being cleared of five felonies, pleading no contest to lesser charges

Former Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna is speaking out following the resolution of a case in which he was initially arrested on five felony counts of possession of child pornography.

Kitna was ultimately charged with two second-degree misdemeanor counts of breach of the peace in July, as the felony charges were dropped. Kitna pleaded no contest to the two counts, receiving six months probation for each count.

He was not fined or required to register as a sex offender, and the former Florida quarterback felt the need to clear the air in a statement provided to the Gainesville Sun.

“I had hoped this outcome would exonerate me and provide understanding,” Jalen Kitna said. “The reaction has been quite the opposite and created even more confusion with people making judgments based only on the initial reports, which didn’t tell the whole story.

“The misdemeanor plea of ‘no contest’ is not an admission of guilt and I was not adjudicated by the court, meaning there was no conviction. The police have returned all my devices, because they contain no illegal material.”

Jalen Kitna, who was banned from Florida’s campus following the news of the child pornography charges levied against him, has since had that campus ban rescinded.

He’s now looking to move on with his life and potentially his college football career.

In an effort to further clarify the situation, Kitna provided additional details in his statement. Kitna said that police initially told him an image he shared of a potentially underage female was the cause for a search of his devices.

Kitna said he found the image on “an easily accessible, legal site” and noted he wasn’t looking for anything illegal, nor did he have reason to believe it was illegal.

The former Florida quarterback maintains that the investigation found no other images “that were even questionable.”

“I know I did not commit the crime people assumed and maybe believed. I have learned the lesson of how quickly naive decisions can lead to catastrophic consequences,” Jalen Kitna said. “I’m sorry my family and friends have had to go through this unimaginable eight months, their love and support throughout has been humbling and encouraging.”