Former UF football player J.C. Jackson has been formally charged with four first-degree felonies stemming from a reported armed robbery in April.
Jackson, 19, has been charged with three counts of home invasion robbery while armed with a firearm and one count of burglary, according to Alachua County Court documents filed Monday.
Each charge carries a 10-year minimum sentence, if convicted.
On April 18, Jackson reportedly led two men into an apartment at Canopy Apartments and robbed everyone inside, according to a Gainesville Police Department report.
The men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, reportedly stole two gaming systems, marijuana and $382 in cash.
The report stated one suspect pressed a gun to the face of one of the victims while demanding to know where he kept his marijuana and money.
Victims told police that Jackson left the apartment to take a phone call while the two men committed the robbery, according to the report. Jackson was arrested, booked into jail and held on a $150,000 bond.
At the time of his arrest, UF football coach Jim McElwain said the program was aware of the felony charges against Jackson.
"We are aware of the news involving J.C. Jackson, and he is currently dealing with a serious issue," McElwain said. "We don’t condone any of his actions, and it is not something that reflects on the expectations we have in the program. It is being handled accordingly due to the severity of his actions."
Jackson’s attorney, Christopher Brown, said in April his client had no role in the shooting and didn’t know the other two suspects.
A trial date has been set for Oct. 11.
An Immokalee native, Jackson practiced with the first team defense during the Spring.
The redshirt freshman was expected to provide depth in the secondary for the Gators.
Jackson, a four-star recruit and the No. 21 ranked cornerback in the 2014 recruiting class according to Rivals.com, played in Florida’s season-opening win against Eastern Michigan last season before receiving a medical redshirt after re-aggravating a shoulder injury that required labrum surgery.
Redshirt freshman defensive back J.C. Jackson catches the ball during practice on March 16 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
