Fraud in Lake County, Florida
229 cases (2025) · Lake County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, fraud cases in Lake County resolved with outcomes moderately aligned to statewide patterns. The county dismissed 1.7 percent of cases (close to the 1.9 percent statewide average) and offered diversion programs to 7.4 percent of defendants, slightly above the statewide rate of 6.5 percent. With a 73.4 percent guilty or plea rate and 17.5 percent withheld adjudication rate, roughly 91 percent of defendants faced conviction or withheld adjudication. However, those who did not secure diversion confronted substantially longer sentences.
Defendants convicted or receiving withheld adjudication averaged 704 days in custody—significantly higher than typical fraud sentences across Florida counties. Probation averaged 1,100 days, and 30.6 percent of defendants served time in jail or prison. The public defender represented nearly 68 percent of defendants, suggesting limited access to private counsel. Fine amounts averaged $243.65.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Fraud charge in Lake County makes it in front of a judge. Of 651 prosecutor decisions on Fraud charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 16.1% — below the 33.7% 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 — 73.4% of 229 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 229 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 |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 153 | 4.8 months |
| State Prison Facility | 78 | 3.4 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Fraud sentencing in Lake 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 | 145 | 73.1% | 1.4% |
| Black | 83 | 74.7% | 2.4% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 280 | 82.5% | 0.7% | 1 year, 2 months |
| 2024 | 234 | 76.1% | 0.9% | 1 year |
| 2025 | 229 | 73.4% | 1.7% | 1 year, 11 months |
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 | 333 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 219 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 99 |
| Misdemeanor | NULL | 40 |
| Felony | NULL | 27 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 19 |
| Felony | First Degree | 6 |
Related Charges in Lake County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 2,230 | 74.0% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 1,391 | 79.4% | 0.4% |
| Other | 1,817 | 14.0% | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,004 | 65.9% | 0.9% |
| Battery | 654 | 56.6% | 1.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 565 | 78.8% | 1.1% |
| DUI | 417 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| Trespassing | 426 | 88.3% | 1.9% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Fraud in Lake County?
The guilty rate is 73.4% based on 229 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Fraud in Lake County?
Adjudication is withheld in 17.5% 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 Fraud in Lake County?
The average sentence is 1 year, 11 months, with an average fine of $244 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
67.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 27.1% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Fraud in Lake County, Florida (2025). Based on 229 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/fraud/lake
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Lake 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 · 229 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com