How did Jalen Kitna, accused of child p*rnography, enter the transfer portal? What were the charges against him?

Former Florida Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna was charged with child pornography with the charges being dropped as part of a plea deal. However, less than a week after the charges were dropped, he decided to enter the transfer portal.

He is a redshirt sophomore and was immediately dismissed from Florida once the program learned of the charges. Kitna was the backup quarterback and only appeared in four games, going 10-of-14 for 181 yards and a touchdown last year. What exactly were the charges and why was Jalen Kitna able to enter the transfer portal in the first place?

What charges did Jalen Kitna have against him?

On November 30, 2022, Kitna was arrested in Gainesville, Florida as he was charged with counts of distribution of child exploitation material as well as three counts of possession of child pornography. The police said that he had shared a pair of images of young girls being sexually abused on social media and also three more images of two young girls naked in the shower.

Jalen Kitna pleaded no contest on two counts of disorderly conduct. As a result, he was placed on one year of probation, which could be cut in half in terms if he is able to meet the terms of his parole. As a result, he would not be heading to prison.

How is Jalen Kitna allowed to enter the NCAA transfer portal right now?

This is a tough question to answer because morally you can feel one way and still understand this. Allowing Kitna to enter the transfer portal makes a bit of sense as any player can do as long they go through their school's compliance office. The NCAA also disallows any school from refusing the request so that means Florida has no choice but to let it happen.

The issue really arises when a collegiate football program decides to allow him to join. He could essentially just sit inside the NCAA transfer portal without a team. Another huge aspect is that once Kitna, or any player, enters the portal, the school does not have to honor his scholarship and the new school does not need to offer him a scholarship.

This feels like more of a finality that Jalen Kitna understands he is not welcome to be part of the Florida Gators football program. Despite that, he wants to continue playing. Will a team make a tough public relations move and allow him on the team?