UF quarterback Jalen Kitna was arrested on five child pornography and distribution of child exploitation charges Wednesday afternoon, court records show.
Kitna was arrested for sharing explicit images over Discord, an online instant messaging platform, according to a Gainesville Police Department press release.
The 19-year-old was arrested and booked into Alachua County jail at 3:20 p.m., with no set bond.
The University Athletic Association announced Wednesday Kitna has been suspended indefinitely from the football program.
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna,” the UAA’s statement read. “These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior.”
GPD detective Donna Montague arrived at Kitna’s residence to interview him about the images he shared via Discord, according to the GPD press release. Kitna told Montague he believed the images were legal because he found them online.
Kitna’s Discord account was deactivated and he assumed someone had reported him to the platform, according to the press release.
GPD investigators seized his electronic devices after a search warrant was issued, where they found three additional photos of “child sexual abuse material,” the press release says.
Kitna is a redshirt freshman and appeared in four games for Florida this season. He’s the son of Jon Kitna, who played quarterback in the National Football League for more than a decade.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Aidan Bush at abush@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @aidandisto.
Aidan Bush is a fourth-year journalism major and the Summer 2024 Editor-in-Chief of The Alligator. In his free time, he likes to listen to music and go kayaking.
