Extraordinary scenes as NFL player arrested on sex charges
Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of having sexual activity with a minor.
The 29-year-old Smith was booked into the Duval County Jail around 5 pm and released about five hours later on a $50,003 bond. He had no scheduled court date.
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No details or police report was immediately available.
According to Florida Statute 794.05, which was the listed charge in the jail log, unlawful sexual activity with certain minors is a second-degree felony and applies to any person age 24 or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years old.
News 4 in Jacksonville reported that a heavily-armoured SWAT team and detectives were seen at Smith’s Jacksonville home in the upscale Queen’s Harbour neighbourhood.
Our helicopter shows heavy police presence: SWAT team at door and undercover detectives lining street at Queen’s Harbour mansion around 2pm. We’ve been gathering details since. @wjxt4 https://t.co/cduq8ZqUuS pic.twitter.com/iJZHKv2dDO
— Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) April 29, 2020
“The Jaguars are aware of the report involving former linebacker Telvin Smith,” the team said in a statement.
“The club is unable to comment further on this ongoing investigation.”
Citing an anonymous law enforcement source, ESPN reported that Smith is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl multiple times, both at his home and in his vehicle, last August and September.
The ESPN source said the victim told a friend and family member what happened after the first encounter with Smith. The source also said investigators found evidence in Smith’s car linking him to the victim.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies were at Smith's home on November 27, and his SUV was towed. He was not arrested then.
Telvin Smith’s Black Cadillac Escalade just towed from his home in Queens Harbour, with a Jacksonville police car behind it. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/B9XsvC7MTa
— Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) November 27, 2019
Telvin Smith’s mysterious absence from NFL
A fifth-round draft pick from Florida State in 2014 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2017, Smith announced last April he was stepping away from football to “get my world in order.”
Smith has 586 total tackles with 445 solo tackles, nine interceptions, 7.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in five seasons in Jacksonville.
He’s one of only 13 players in NFL history to record 100 or more tackles in each of their first five years in the league.
He signed a four-year, $45 million extension in October 2017 that included $20 million guaranteed.
He restructured that deal in March 2018, turning an $8 million roster bonus into a signing bonus to create extra cap space for the team.
He walked away from $9.75 million last season and has three years remaining on his contract.
The Jaguars fined Smith more than $88,000 for missing a mandatory minicamp in June. Smith avoided future fines by filing retirement paperwork with the NFL before training camp.
Jacksonville placed him on the league’s reserve/retired list, which paused his contract and freed up a roster spot.
It also protected Smith from fines and NFL testing policies.
With Yahoo Sports Staff
