Drug Trafficking in Monroe County, Florida
56 cases (2023-2025) · Monroe County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2023-2025 data
From 2023 to 2025, drug trafficking defendants in Monroe County faced near-certain conviction. The guilty rate was 91.1%, with just 7.1% dismissals—higher than the statewide 2.6%—and no acquittals. Withheld adjudication occurred in 1.8% of cases, modest compared to statewide averages, and no defendants received diversion. The prosecution's approach shows minimal tolerance for alternative outcomes.
Conviction led to severe confinement. Among imprisoned defendants, sentences averaged 1,461 days with a median of 1,096 days, and average probation of 1,988 days. Prison accounted for 66.1% of confinement, far exceeding jail at 5.4%. Most defendants retained private counsel at 73.2%, suggesting trafficking charges disproportionately involve higher-resourced individuals.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Figures cover 56 cases (2023-2025) — fewer than 30 cases resolved in 2025, so multi-year figures are shown.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Trafficking charge in Monroe County makes it in front of a judge. Of 79 prosecutor decisions on Drug Trafficking charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 22.8% — below the 35.0% 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 — 91.1% of 56 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 56 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 | 37 | 4.3 years |
| County Jail | 3 | 9.4 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Trafficking sentencing in Monroe County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Trafficking in Monroe County?
The guilty rate is 91.1% based on 56 cases (2023-2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Trafficking in Monroe County?
Adjudication is withheld in 1.8% 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 Trafficking in Monroe County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 4.0 years (2023-2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
16.1% of defendants use a public defender, while 73.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 28 | 89.3% | 7.1% |
| Black | 13 | 92.3% | 7.7% |
Age Distribution (2023-2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 21 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 3.2 years |
| 2024 | 20 | 80.0% | 15.0% | 4.0 years |
| 2025 | 15 | 93.3% | 6.7% | 5.4 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | First Degree | 56 |
Related Charges in Monroe County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 983 | 37.5% | 0.3% |
| Other | 741 | 54.7% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 548 | 54.9% | 1.1% |
| Trespassing | 312 | 89.1% | 0.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 271 | 66.4% | 0.7% |
| DUI | 291 | 89.0% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 240 | 80.0% | 1.2% |
| Battery | 218 | 56.0% | 0.5% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Trafficking in Monroe County, Florida (2023-2025). Based on 56 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-trafficking/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 · 56 cases (2023-2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com