JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith has pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, per Duval County court records.
Smith entered the plea in writing via his attorney.
Smith has a May 20 court date, according to records. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
He was arrested April 29 by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at his home after a six-month investigation. Per Florida Statute 794.05, the charge of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors is a second-degree felony and applies to any person 24 or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years old.
ESPN obtained a copy of the arrest warrant, and in it, 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 victim told Smith the day they first met she had recently turned 17 and a witness corroborated that, per the report.
The warrant also states that Smith offered the victim $200 while driving her back to her car after their first sexual encounter, and that he told the victim not to tell anyone about the encounter because he could go to jail. The victim eventually accepted $100 from Smith, who also asked the victim to say he was her “mentor” if anyone asked about them meeting, per the warrant.
