on november 21, 2008, police arrested newton for stealing a laptop computer from a student at the university of florida. he was subsequently temporarily suspended by the team after the laptop was in fact found to be in his possession. investigators tracked the stolen laptop to the athlete. newton tossed the computer out his dorm window in an attempt to hide it from the police. (a friend scooped up the laptop and hid it behind a dumpster at a nearby school building). newton was suspended indefinitely and announced his intention to transfer three days before florida's national championship win over oklahoma. all criminal charges against newton were dropped after he completed a court-approved pretrial diversion program. foxsports.com reported that newton left the university of florida after the fall semester in 2008 rather than face suspension or expulsion in part because of three instances of academic cheating.