Former NFL star Telvin Smith has been arrested and charged with “unlawful sexual activity with certain minors” after allegedly engaging in improprieties with an underage girl.
According to federal court documents obtained by TMZ, Smith, 29, a former stud linebacker with the Jacksonville Jaguars, had two separate sexual encounters with a girl below the legal age, law enforcement officials charge.
This follows the fact that Smith, who was good enough to make the NFL Pro Bowl, which is akin to making the All-Star team in the NBA or NHL, abruptly quit the team and the NFL prior to the 2019 season. He told his Instagram followers that he “must take time away from the game & get my world in order.”
According to prosecutors and law enforcement in Duval County, Florida, Smith met the unnamed girl at her place of business and pursued her hard, despite the girl and coworkers making it clear to him she was underaged.
They reportedly met up outside her business in Jacksonville, Florida in August 2019, which is about the time he quit the NFL. The two had eventually sex at his home, documents say.
When he drove her back to her car, Smith allegedly tried to offer her $200 hush money, but the girl vigorously refused. Finally, the girl took half the amount and immediately bought emergency contraceptives.
Before she left him, however, Smith allegedly informed her to keep quiet and that “that if anyone raised concerns about them speaking, to say that Smith was serving as a ‘mentor’ to her.” He also made it clear to her that he could be sent to jail if he got caught, the documents said according to TMZ.
There are other receipts that allegedly point to Smith’s guilt. She apparently recorded or kept the voice messages he sent in subsequent conversations, calling her “baby” and wanting them to spend the night again.
They did. On the next and final meet up, Smith reportedly picked her up in his Cadillac Escalade and drove to a private location where they had sex in his SUV.
However, after the second sexual encounter, the girl told her parents and they notified authorities. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant in November for his Caddy and tests allegedly confirm that DNA evidence in Smith’s SUV match that of the girl.
With that stack of damning evidence, police arrested Smith after he turned himself in and later posted a $50,000 bond.
Exclusive video of former Jaguars star Telvin Smith in custody at Duval County jail. He's charged with "unlawful sexual activity with certain minors." This comes after SWAT raid at his home earlier this afternoon. Live report on @wjxt4 at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/wShn0eaXj8
— Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) April 29, 2020
While Smith was temporarily housed at the Duval County Jail, a SWAT team and CSI technicians combed through his home to retrieve any additional evidence to bolster their case.
