Ex-Florida Quarterback Jalen Kitna Takes Plea Deal

July 26, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes Social Share

We previously covered the details surrounding the child pornography case of retired NFL quarterback Jon Kitna’s son, Jalen Kitna. The former UF athlete was arrested in November 2022 after being accused of possessing and distributing child pornography.

The most recent update in the case comes from a plea hearing that took place last Wednesday. Kitna accepted a plea deal that resulted in all five felony child pornography charges getting dropped.

This page will provide the case details along with the plea deal, responses, and relative information on the Sexual Offender Registry.

Case Details

Jalen Kitna was arrested in November 2022 on the allegations of possessing and sharing child pornography. The ex-University of Florida quarterback was initially charged with five felony counts of possessing or distributing child pornography in Alachua County.

Based on the court records, Kitna allegedly shared two images of underage girls depicted in a graphic, sexual nature. Kitna admitted to law enforcement that he had previously visited online chat rooms that discussed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) but that he always tried to “shy away from it.”

Kitna’s defense attorney argued that it was hard to tell if the girls depicted were under 18 or not. However, the court had documents from a Discord chat room in which Kitna and an anonymous online user discussed the images, where the anonymous person pointed out that they were under 18-years-old.

While Kitna was released on an $80,000 bond, he was facing the possibility of up to 45 years in prison for the charges against him.

To read our full report on Kitna’s initial arrest and charges, you can view our page here.

Plea Deal

On June 28^th 2023, Kitna accepted a plea deal with the Eight Judicial Circuit. Kitna agreed to plead guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct in exchange for the five felony counts of child pornography possession to get dropped.

Disorderly conduct is considered a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida. However, the judge only sentenced Kitna to six months of probation for each count, and did not require him to pay a fine or register as a sexual offender.

This is an exceptionally good plea deal, considering Kitna was initially facing up to 45 years in prison. Plea bargains can play a crucial role in criminal cases, to help secure some type of penalty for the defendant’s admission of guilt. However, it usually involves a lesser sentence than if the case proceeded to trial.

Especially in criminal cases involving child pornography, the State will usually attempt to sentence the defendant to the maximum amount of imprisonment and fines.

To find out more about plea bargains, you can read our informative page here.

Responses

After the plea deal was announced and the sentence was given, Kitna gave the following statement of contrition with his parents standing behind him:

“I want to start off by apologizing to my family, my friends, and those that care about me. 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. 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.”

Additionally, Kitna’s attorney, Ron Kozlowski, gave the following statement to Orlando Sentinel following the resolution to the case:

“What we’ve got here today is a result that’s fair, and the right result,” said Kozlowski. “Obviously the State agrees, and we feel good about that. This is going to give Jalen the opportunity to move on to the next step, whatever that is.”

Disorderly Conduct in Florida

Florida Statute Section 877.03 defines the offense of disorderly conduct as when a person commits an act that has the nature to corrupt public morals, outrage public decency, or engage in any conduct that results in the breach of peace or disorderly conduct.

A person charged with disorderly conduct faces a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida. The penalties for a second-degree misdemeanor include up to a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

Sexual Offender Florida Registry

Typically, when a defendant is convicted of a certain sex crime they are required to register as a sex offender on Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)’s Registration.

A sex offender is considered any person who has been convicted of a qualifying sexual offense in Florida or another jurisdiction. A sexual predator is considered any person who was convicted of a sexually violent offense and either has a written court order designating them as a sexual predator, or a person who was civilly committed under the Florida Jimmy Ryce Sexually Violent Predator Act.

Registration for both a sexual offender and sexual predator involves providing personal information to the local sheriff’s office. The required information may include your name, date of birth, address, place of occupation, tattoos or identifying marks, passport information, or any other information FDLE sees as imperative.

Unless the convicted person is exempt or confidential pursuant to Florida Chapter 119, then the information on the Sex Offender Registry is made public.

It is also important to note that unless the sexual offender has received a full pardon or post-conviction relief for their qualifying offense, registration is required for life.

Getting convicted of a sex crime can haunt you even after you have paid the statutory fines and served the sentence. With that in mind, finding the right defense team is imperative. Contact a skilled defense attorney in Tallahassee to discuss your case details and make a defense plan to fight to get the charges lessened or dismissed.

Contact a Tallahassee Defense Attorney

Don Pumphrey and his legal team understand the severity of a sex crime conviction and have years of experience fighting to get these types of charges lessened or dropped. If you or a loved one are facing criminal prosecution for a sex crime, it is in your best interest to contact a defense attorney as soon as possible. With the help of an experienced attorney, you can strategize a defense for the charges against you.

Contact Pumphrey Law Firm today at (850) 681-7777 or leave an online message for a free consultation regarding your case.

Written by Karissa key

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