St. Petersburg College Students: Arrest and Criminal Defense

Are you a St. Petersburg College student who was arrested, cited or questioned by police, or the parent of one? Attorney Ron Frey helps SPC students at campuses across Pinellas County, from Clearwater and Seminole to Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg, 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.

No one should face a charge alone or assume the worst. 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. Attorney Ron Frey talks with students and families by phone or video, so no one has to drive to Tampa first.

Facts About St. Petersburg College

• St. Petersburg College is a public college with learning sites throughout Pinellas County.
• SPC has both Campus Security and a sworn college police department.
• City police and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office may also be involved, depending 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 SPC’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

• SPC Security and the SPC Police Department, on college property.
• City police, depending on the campus. See St. Petersburg Police arrests, Clearwater Police arrests, Largo Police arrests and Pinellas Park Police arrests.
• The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. See Pinellas County Sheriff arrests.
• 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 St. Petersburg College 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

Most SPC student cases are Florida state cases in Pinellas County, and a few go to federal court. See the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco, federal offenses and Middle District of Florida cases. If something happened elsewhere, a different court may handle it.

SPC 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

In Pinellas County, a person may be released with a notice to appear or taken to jail for booking. Someone kept in custody generally sees a judge at first appearance, who sets conditions such as bond in Pinellas County.

Students from out of state, and their parents, may need to plan around classes, work and breaks. Parents or a friend or family member can call Attorney Ron Frey, and a lawyer may be able to handle many steps so the student doesn’t miss class or work. Keep every court date.

Every Situation Needs Its Own Review

College police, campus security and city police may each write their own report about the same event, and the reports can differ. 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 compares those reports, looks at how any stop or search was done and what video shows, and checks what witnesses actually saw. Every case is different. The state still has to prove each charge with admissible evidence, and judges decide disputed issues.

Attorney Ron Frey’s office is at 625 E. Twiggs St. in downtown Tampa, and he represents clients from across Pinellas County. If you or a friend or family member at St. Petersburg College was stopped, cited or arrested, call or text (813) 775-2276 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, video or in person.

Related: College student defense in Pinellas County · USF St. Petersburg students · University of Tampa students · St. Petersburg criminal defense · Tarpon Springs criminal defense · Traffic stops in St. Petersburg and Clearwater