An Alabama football player was arrested after he knowingly transmitted a sexually transmitted disease, authorities said. Crimson Tide offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett, 19, was arrested on Wednesday night and charged with the Class C misdemeanor crime and will be tried as a youthful offender. A spokeswoman for the Tuscaloosa Police Department confirmed a report was filed against Pritchett last week, which led to his arrest, the Tuscaloosa Thread reported.
Pritchett was later released on $500 bond and it is unclear exactly which STD he allegedly passed to another. Few details have been revealed due to the nature of the charge and legal protections. In the state of Alabama, there is a specific penalty known as AL Code § 22-11A-21, which states: ‘Any person afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease who shall knowingly transmit, or assume the risk of transmitting, or do any act which will probably or likely transmit such disease to another person shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.’
Pritchett could potentially face up to three months in prison and a fine for the charge. He was granted youthful offender status, which is when those aged 18 to 21 can’t be tried as an adult. He was granted the status by a Tuscaloosa judge and is now able to get a lighter sentence and waive his right to a jury trial. There will also be no criminal conviction and records of the case will be sealed. He was released on bond just days before Crimson Tide is set to leave for the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Rose Bowl. Alabama is set to take on Michigan
