Drug Sale in Monroe County, Florida
46 cases (2025) · Monroe County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
Monroe County handled 46 drug sale cases in 2025 with distinctly lenient outcomes compared to other counties. The 87% guilty rate masks meaningful departures from statewide averages: withheld adjudication at 6.5% falls slightly below the statewide 8.3%, but diversion access at 2.2% more than doubles the statewide 0.9% rate. Most notably, no cases resulted in dismissal despite the statewide 1.8% rate, yet the diversion pathway provides convicted defendants with alternatives to formal conviction.
Sentences are among the lightest on record: average 692 days with a median of only 517 days, and the lowest proportion imprisoned of any county examined at 32.6%. The county maintains higher probation days on average (1,718), suggesting a preference for community supervision over incarceration. With 56.5% private attorney representation, the mix of attorney types is relatively balanced. Monroe's approach prioritizes rehabilitation and diversion over carceral response.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Sale charge in Monroe County makes it in front of a judge. Of 151 prosecutor decisions on Drug Sale charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 11.9% — 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 — 87.0% of 46 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 46 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 | 79 | 4.3 years |
| County Jail | 42 | 7.8 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Sale sentencing in Monroe County.
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 | 28 | 92.9% | 0.0% |
| Black | 14 | 71.4% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 74 | 90.5% | 0.0% | 3.2 years |
| 2024 | 53 | 84.9% | 0.0% | 3.6 years |
| 2025 | 46 | 87.0% | 0.0% | 1 year, 11 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 142 |
| Felony | First Degree | 17 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 8 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 6 |
Related Charges in Monroe County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 985 | 37.0% | 0.3% |
| Other | 730 | 54.0% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 551 | 52.5% | 1.3% |
| Trespassing | 311 | 89.1% | 0.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 272 | 63.6% | 0.7% |
| DUI | 291 | 89.7% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 240 | 80.0% | 1.2% |
| Battery | 223 | 52.0% | 0.4% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Sale in Monroe County?
The guilty rate is 87.0% based on 46 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Sale in Monroe County?
Adjudication is withheld in 6.5% 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 Monroe County?
The average sentence is 1 year, 11 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
41.3% of defendants use a public defender, while 56.5% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Sale in Monroe County, Florida (2025). Based on 46 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-sale/monroe
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Monroe 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 · 46 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com