JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Former Jacksonville Jaguars star Telvin Smith has been cited with multiple counts of animal neglect, according to Duval County court records.
The seven citations come 16 months after Smith, 29, was charged with unlawful sexual activity with minors, court records show.
Five of the citations, filed July 16 by the city's Animal Care and Protective Services, state he left dogs tethered and unattended in his yard. Two state the dog was illegally tethered with no owner outside and "unable to move 10 feet in all directions," witnessed by a police officer.
Another states the dog was tethered to a fence "with no shelter, tangled and unable to reach water." Others included tethering a dog closer than 5 feet from a fence and having no proof of dog license tags. He also was cited with failure to provide proper food and water, as well as another for a dog with no proof of vaccinations, court files show.
A fifth-round pick out of Florida State University by the Jaguars in 2014, Smith became one of the cornerstones of the defense, leading the team in tackles for two consecutive seasons, including a career-high 134 combined tackles in 2018. The Jaguars placed Smith on its reserve/retired list 13 months ago after he abruptly announced he was stepping away from football to focus on his health and family via an Instagram post last May.
His departure from the team came just after his April 29, 2019, arrest on a charge of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, according to Duval County court records. He was released from jail the same day on $50,000 bail, waiving a speedy trial with his arraignment rescheduled multiple times, now set for Sept. 17, court records show.
According to an arrest warrant released by the State Attorney's Office last year, Smith engaged in sexual acts with a minor on two occasions in August and September of last year in his Queens Harbour home and in his black Cadillac Escalade. The warrant said he offered the minor money to keep quiet about it, telling the teen to tell others he was acting as a “mentor” to her if asked about why they were seeing one another.
His arrest came almost four months after police raided his home on the night before Thanksgiving 2019 with a search warrant and active investigation.
The warrant also states a co-worker of the victim told police she made it clear to Smith that she was younger than 18. An offer of $200 to the victim after their first sexual encounter came with the explanation that “he could go to jail” if anyone found out, the warrant said.
A native of Valdosta, Ga., Smith played three years for the Seminoles and was a key player on their 2013 national championship team.
Smith faces an Aug. 26 court hearing on the animal neglect citations, according to court records.
