Former University of Florida (UF) Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna dodged registration as a sex offender Wednesday in a plea deal stemming from a child pornography case, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Authorities arrested Kitna on Nov. 30, 2022. He faced five felony charges, including the distribution of child exploitation material and child pornography possession, according to the AP.
Police alleged Kitna shared images of young girls being sexually abused and allegedly had photos of two young girls in a shower on his phone, the outlet noted.
The former quarterback struck a deal which saw the felony charges dismissed as he pled guilty to two second-degree misdemeanors of disorderly conduct, according to The AP. (RELATED: University of Florida QB Anthony Richardson Ditches His ‘AR-15’ Nickname)
Judge Susan Miller-Jones of the Eighth Judicial Circuit placed Kitna on a probationary period of six months for each count, The AP reported.
Jalen Kitna cuts deal with Florida prosecutors in child porn case https://t.co/hKC2mmjgpM pic.twitter.com/XjIqQIjdsz
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) July 5, 2023
The Gators dismissed Kitna within days of his arrest. He will not be allowed on the UF campus until November 2025, the outlet noted.
Kitna apologized to family and friends before reflecting on the “valuable lessons” he “learned through this whole deal,” according to the AP.
“I’m looking forward to applying those things and moving forward,” the former quarterback added.