Fraud in Santa Rosa County, Florida
163 cases (2025) · Santa Rosa County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
Santa Rosa County showed the highest fraud conviction rate in 2025 at 78.5%, indicating aggressive prosecution with minimal case attrition. Dismissals were rare at 1.2%, near statewide rates, and withheld adjudication was the lowest observed at 12.9%—well below the statewide 19.6%—signaling the prosecutor demanded full convictions rather than allowing guilt-finding without conviction. Diversion programs were minimal at 7.4%, barely above the state average.
Convicted defendants faced substantial penalties: median jail sentences of 364 days with 60% incarcerated in prison or jail. Probation averaged over 3 years. Average fines of $229 were modest. Notably, a high proportion of cases involved other counsel classification, possibly reflecting data categorization in this smaller county.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Fraud charge in Santa Rosa County makes it in front of a judge. Of 311 prosecutor decisions on Fraud charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 24.8% — 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 — 78.5% of 163 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 163 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 | 175 | 7.7 months |
| State Prison Facility | 45 | 2.5 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Fraud sentencing in Santa Rosa 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 | 100 | 73.0% | 1.0% |
| Black | 53 | 92.5% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 139 | 73.4% | 0.0% | 5.7 months |
| 2024 | 166 | 75.3% | 0.6% | 1 year, 1 months |
| 2025 | 163 | 78.5% | 1.2% | 1 year, 2 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 | 228 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 199 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 27 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 12 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Santa Rosa County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,307 | 60.4% | 4.9% |
| Drug Possession | 961 | 74.1% | 0.4% |
| Larceny / Theft | 545 | 64.6% | 0.4% |
| Other | 386 | 67.4% | 6.7% |
| Battery | 410 | 55.9% | 0.7% |
| DUI | 397 | 93.7% | 1.8% |
| Resisting Officer | 317 | 74.4% | 2.2% |
| Sex Offense | 157 | 80.3% | 12.1% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Fraud in Santa Rosa County?
The guilty rate is 78.5% based on 163 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Fraud in Santa Rosa County?
Adjudication is withheld in 12.9% 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 Santa Rosa County?
The average sentence is 1 year, 2 months, with an average fine of $229 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
25.2% of defendants use a public defender, while 6.1% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Fraud in Santa Rosa County, Florida (2025). Based on 163 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/fraud/santa-rosa
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Santa Rosa 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 · 163 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com