Pasco-Hernando State College Students: Arrest and Criminal Defense

Are you a Pasco-Hernando State College student who was arrested, cited or questioned by police, or the parent of one? Attorney Ron Frey helps PHSC students at campuses in New Port Richey, Dade City, Brooksville, Spring Hill and Wesley Chapel when something on or off campus turns into a criminal matter. Attorney Ron Frey has been practicing law for over two decades. He is licensed in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Supreme Court.

A charge is a starting point, not an outcome. If you face any stop, search, seizure, inquiry, investigation, arrest or target letter, contact a lawyer. Call or text (813) 775-2276 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, video or in person. Students on any PHSC campus, or a friend or family member, can talk with Attorney Ron Frey by phone or video.

Facts About Pasco-Hernando State College

• Pasco-Hernando State College is a public college with campuses in Pasco and Hernando counties.
• PHSC has security officers on its campuses.
• Which sheriff’s office or city police responds depends on the campus.
• The school’s conduct process is separate from any criminal case and can move on its own timeline.

University policies, procedures and campus safety arrangements change over time. Check PHSC’s current official policies, and have your situation reviewed by a lawyer rather than relying on this page, the internet or AI.

Who May Be Involved

• PHSC campus security, often the first to respond on campus.
• The Pasco Sheriff’s Office. See Pasco Sheriff arrests.
• The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. See Hernando County criminal defense.
• City police, depending on the campus. See Dade City criminal defense.
• Other agencies, including federal agencies, depending on what is alleged.

Which agency acts, and which court hears the case, depends on the facts. That should be reviewed with a lawyer, not guessed at.

Common Issues for PHSC Students

• Underage drinking or fake IDs
• Disorderly conduct, including at off-campus parties
• Drug charges
• DUI
• Assault or battery
• Theft or shoplifting
• Resisting an officer
• Weapons
• Computer and internet issues

Many students facing these have no record at all. See first-time offenders.

Courts, and the Separate Student Conduct Process

Depending on the campus, a PHSC student’s case is generally a Florida state case in Pasco County or Hernando County, and a few go to federal court. See the West Pasco Judicial Center, the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center, the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco, federal offenses and Middle District of Florida cases.

PHSC can also review the same incident under its own student rules. That process is separate from the criminal case, and what a student says in it can matter, so it’s worth talking with a lawyer before any school meeting.

What to Expect, Including for Out-of-State Students and Parents

After an arrest in Pasco or Hernando County, a person may be released with a notice to appear or taken to jail for booking. A person kept in jail generally goes before a judge, who sets release conditions such as bond. See bond and bail in Florida.

A PHSC student may have class in one county and court in another, on top of work and family. A parent or a friend or family member can call Attorney Ron Frey, and a lawyer may be able to appear for routine steps so work and class go on. Keep every court date, even if it falls on a class day.

Every Situation Needs Its Own Review

A case from Brooksville and a case from New Port Richey can be handled very differently. Each situation has to be evaluated case by case under current laws and regulations, with a response tailored to it, not what the internet or AI tells you. Attorney Ron Frey looks at which agency responded, how any stop or search was done, what reports and video exist, and what witnesses can actually confirm. Every case is different. Whatever the county, prosecutors must prove each charge with admissible evidence, and judges resolve disputes.

Attorney Ron Frey’s office is at 625 E. Twiggs St. in downtown Tampa. If you or a friend or family member at Pasco-Hernando State College was stopped, cited or arrested, call or text (813) 775-2276 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, video or in person.

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