AEPi president arrested on false imprisonment, battery charges

Carson Foster, a USF junior and president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, was arrested Sept. 15 and faces three charges, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. ORACLE GRAPHIC / VIOLET VASQUEZ PIMENTEL

Carson Foster, a junior political science major and former president of USF’s Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity, was taken into custody on Sept. 15 on charges of false imprisonment, battery and battery by strangulation, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

According to HCSO arrest records, Foster was arrested at 2:45 p.m., booked at 3 p.m. and released at 3:44 p.m, spending approximately one hour in custody.

The public arrest record lists the three charges but does not provide details about the allegations leading to the arrest.

The arrest record classifies the false imprisonment and battery by strangulation charges as third-degree felonies, while the battery charge is listed as a first-degree misdemeanor. The record lists a $5,000 bond for each felony charge and a $1,000 bond for the misdemeanor.

AEPi International Chief Communications Officer, Jon Pierce, said the incident involves two USF students who are both members of the fraternity.

While AEPi does not condone violence, Pierce said the national organization is not involved in the investigation or any disciplinary measures.

“I believe that Mr. Foster is no longer a chapter officer and the chapter continues to operate in good standing with both the university and the national office,” Pierce said.

Foster joined AEPi in August 2025 and was elected president of the fraternity in January 2026, according to his Linkedin profile.

The fraternity’s BullsConnect page currently lists Foster as the chapter’s president and lists 35 members in the organization.

AEPi has been at USF since 1987 and is an international Jewish fraternity founded at New York University in 1913, with the mission of developing leadership for the Jewish community, according to the fraternity’s national chapter roll.

AEPi, in a direct message to The Oracle, did not say whether Foster would remain president of the chapter.

“Alpha Epsilon Pi takes violence of any kind very seriously. Separate from any legal investigation, the Psi Phi chapter, in accordance with AEPi national policy, is working internally to resolve these matters,” the fraternity said in an Instagram direct message to The Oracle.

Althea Johnson, Senior Director of Media Relations at USF, said the university has no conduct reports involving the AEPi chapter.

“USF’s Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPI) chapter is currently in good standing, with no reports through Student Conduct & Ethical Development,” Johnson said in a statement to The Oracle.

Regarding Foster’s individual status, she said any student who is arrested or accused of violating the USF Student Code of Conduct may be subject to university sanctions.

However, Johnson said student privacy laws prevent it from providing information about an individual student’s conduct status or disciplinary record.

Johnson said changes to fraternity or sorority leadership positions are determined by the organization’s national headquarters rather than the university.

Under the Student Conduct Code, the university’s conduct process operates separately from the criminal justice system. USF can address alleged violations before, during or after a criminal case and does not have to wait for criminal proceedings to conclude.

The code also applies to student organizations. Chapters found responsible for conduct violations can face sanctions, including suspension, which bars them from operating, recruiting or holding events and limits access to university resources.

The code applies to conduct that may threaten the health or safety of others or violate state or federal law. Student organizations can be held accountable through the university’s conduct process independently of any criminal proceedings.

The university can therefore address alleged conduct independently of the outcome of Foster’s criminal case.

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