Former Jaguars LB Telvin Smith arrested, charged with sex with a minor

Tom Gatto

Former Jaguars LB Telvin Smith arrested, charged with sex with a minor image

Former Jaguars Pro Bowl linebacker Telvin Smith is facing a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, according to multiple reports.

Smith was arrested Wednesday at his home in Jacksonville in a raid by sheriff's officers. Jacksonville television station WJXT showed Smith in custody.

The Florida Times-Union reports Smith is in jail in Jacksonville on $50,000 bond.

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ESPN reported that Smith is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl multiple times in his house and vehicle last September and October.

The Jaguars said in a statement that they are aware of Smith's arrest but "unable to comment further," citing the ongoing investigation.

This is the second raid of Smith's home in about five months. Officers came to the residence the night before Thanksgiving with a search warrant, the Times-Union noted. Smith's vehicle was taken at that time. The November raid and Wednesday's arrest are related, WJXT reported.

Smith, 29, made the Pro Bowl in 2017 with Jaguars, who drafted him out of Florida State in 2014. He announced in 2019 that he would sit out the season. The Jags fined Smith $88,000 for missing minicamp and then placed him in their reserve/retired list before training camp.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.