 Mitchell turned himself in to authorities on March 12 , 2012 , after being indicted on federal tax fraud charges . He was arraigned on March 22 on the charges , and a warrant for his arrest in Indiana for failure to pay child support led to his incarceration in Orange County , Florida . In May 2012 , Mitchell filed a lawsuit against a married couple , who were defendants in his previous charges , citing fraud , breach of contract , and intentional infliction of emotional distress . Mitchell pleaded guilty on March 8 , 2013 , to one count of conspiring to file a false tax claim with the federal government . At a hearing on October 24 , 2013 , in Orlando , Florida , he claimed that his crime stemmed from concussions he suffered during his career in the NFL , adding that he suffers from headaches , insomnia , and memory loss . His attorneys asked the judge in the case that Mitchell only be sentenced to community service and probation . On October 29 , he was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison . He began his sentence on December 6 . 
