Drug Possession in Pinellas County, Florida
6,836 cases (2025) · Pinellas County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Pinellas County processed the highest volume of drug possession cases in this sample (6,868) with outcomes closely aligned to statewide patterns. The 75.7% conviction rate, 17.6% withheld adjudication rate, and 4.3% diversion rate all hewed near Florida's averages. The dismissal rate of 1.5% slightly exceeded the statewide 1.4%, suggesting consistent, middle-of-road prosecution policy across the county's diverse jurisdictions.
Sentences averaged 390 days with a median of 120 days. Confinement split between jail (52.5%) and prison (15.1%), reflecting moderate severity. Notably, only 8.5% of defendants were identified as public defender users, and just 5.2% as private counsel—a gap that may reflect incomplete data recording or unusual case characteristics. Average fines were minimal at $151, indicating courts focused on incarceration rather than financial penalties.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Possession charge in Pinellas County makes it in front of a judge. Of 25,737 prosecutor decisions on Drug Possession charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 30.1% — below the 36.8% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 76.0% of 6,836 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 6,836 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 10,332 | 4.3 months |
| State Prison Facility | 4,442 | 3.5 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Possession sentencing in Pinellas County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Possession in Pinellas County?
The guilty rate is 76.0% based on 6,836 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Possession in Pinellas County?
Adjudication is withheld in 17.4% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Drug Possession in Pinellas County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 1 year, with an average fine of $152 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
9.1% of defendants use a public defender, while 5.8% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,860 | 76.1% | 1.1% |
| Black | 2,390 | 77.4% | 1.9% |
| Asian | 45 | 60.0% | 0.0% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 18 | 77.8% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7,563 | 72.9% | 1.5% | 1 year, 7 months |
| 2024 | 7,133 | 76.3% | 1.1% | 1 year, 3 months |
| 2025 | 6,836 | 76.0% | 1.5% | 1 year |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Third Degree | 11,947 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 7,681 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 1,902 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Pinellas County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 6,400 | 14.4% | 0.4% |
| Traffic Offense | 5,464 | 78.4% | 0.6% |
| DUI | 2,353 | 97.8% | 0.7% |
| Trespassing | 2,539 | 86.2% | 4.8% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,443 | 75.3% | 2.0% |
| Battery | 2,015 | 55.2% | 3.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,570 | 78.5% | 1.5% |
| Fraud | 807 | 73.5% | 1.4% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Pinellas County, Florida (2025). Based on 6,836 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-possession/pinellas
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Pinellas County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 6,836 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com