Drug Sale in Clay County, Florida
51 cases (2025) · Clay County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
Clay County shows extremely punitive outcomes for drug sale cases. In 2025, all 51 defendants were convicted with no acquittals or dismissals, compared to a statewide dismissal rate of 1.8%. The complete absence of withheld adjudication—where guilt is found but conviction avoided—stands sharply against the statewide average of 8.3%, indicating the local State Attorney pursues convictions without leniency and the judiciary rarely grants alternative outcomes.
Sentencing reflects this severity: average confinement of 1,634 days with nearly three-quarters of defendants imprisoned rather than confined to county jail. The median sentence of 1,342 days shows consistency in the length of sentences. No defendants entered diversion programs, eliminating the pathway available elsewhere to avoid conviction entirely. These patterns suggest Clay County treats drug sale with zero discretion.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Sale charge in Clay County makes it in front of a judge. Of 102 prosecutor decisions on Drug Sale charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 25.5% — below the 35.8% 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 — 100.0% of 51 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 51 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 |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 114 | 4.0 years |
| County Jail | 40 | 1 year, 6 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Sale sentencing in Clay County.
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 | 37 | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Black | 14 | 100.0% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 48 | 93.8% | 0.0% | 1 year, 10 months |
| 2024 | 58 | 98.3% | 0.0% | 3.7 years |
| 2025 | 51 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 4.5 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 138 |
| Felony | First Degree | 12 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 7 |
Related Charges in Clay County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,116 | 59.9% | 0.9% |
| Drug Possession | 560 | 70.2% | 1.1% |
| Larceny / Theft | 411 | 69.8% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 363 | 65.8% | 1.1% |
| Other | 424 | 47.6% | 32.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 194 | 73.2% | 0.0% |
| DUI | 133 | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Trespassing | 129 | 81.4% | 2.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Sale in Clay County?
The guilty rate is 100.0% based on 51 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Sale in Clay County?
Adjudication is withheld in 0.0% 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 Sale in Clay County?
The average sentence is 4.5 years, with an average fine of $518 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Sale in Clay County, Florida (2025). Based on 51 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-sale/clay
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Clay 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 · 51 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com