Drug Sale in Hendry County, Florida
24 cases (2023-2025) · Hendry County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2023-2025 data
From 2023 to 2025, drug sale convictions in Hendry County were severe and nearly universal. Guilty verdicts occurred in 87.5% of cases, with no dismissals despite the statewide average of 1.8%. Adjudication withheld appeared in 4.2%, and one acquittal occurred at the same rate. Diversion programs, rarely available for drug sales statewide, appeared in only 4.2% of cases. The small caseload of 24 cases suggests concentrated prosecution, but outcomes were substantially harsher than statewide norms.
Sentencing reflected intense severity. The median prison sentence was 2,192 days—nearly six years—with an average of 3,418.6 days among confined convictions. Prison confinement was imposed in 66.7% of cases, and average fines reached $66,833. Private counsel represented only 12.5% of defendants, indicating nearly all received public defender representation.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Figures cover 24 cases (2023-2025) — fewer than 30 cases resolved in 2025, so multi-year figures are shown.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Sale charge in Hendry County makes it in front of a judge. Of 167 prosecutor decisions on Drug Sale charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 59.9% — above 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 (2023-2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2023-2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 87.5% of 24 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 24 cases · 2023-2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2023-2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2023-2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 16 | 9.4 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Sale sentencing in Hendry County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Sale in Hendry County?
The guilty rate is 87.5% based on 24 cases (2023-2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Sale in Hendry County?
Adjudication is withheld in 4.2% of cases (2023-2025). 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 Hendry County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 9.4 years, with an average fine of $66,833 (2023-2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
29.2% of defendants use a public defender, while 12.5% retain private counsel (2023-2025).
Counsel Analysis (2023-2025)
Demographics (2023-2025)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 15 | 80.0% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2023-2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8 | 62.5% | 0.0% | 10.6 years |
| 2024 | 8 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 10.8 years |
| 2025 | 8 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 7.7 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | First Degree | 11 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 10 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 3 |
Related Charges in Hendry County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 695 | 57.4% | 0.1% |
| Drug Possession | 373 | 77.5% | 0.0% |
| Other | 204 | 40.2% | 0.0% |
| Resisting Officer | 118 | 77.1% | 0.0% |
| Larceny / Theft | 149 | 67.8% | 0.0% |
| Probation Violation | 136 | 89.0% | 11.0% |
| Escape / Failure to Appear | 117 | 13.7% | 86.3% |
| Battery | 112 | 69.6% | 0.9% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Sale in Hendry County, Florida (2023-2025). Based on 24 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-sale/hendry
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Hendry 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 · 24 cases (2023-2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com