Larceny / Theft in Bay County, Florida
1,107 cases (2025) · Bay County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Bay County processed 1,109 larceny and theft cases with outcomes more favorable to defendants than several peer counties. The guilty rate of 66.4% sat below many jurisdictions, and withheld adjudication reached 18.3% versus statewide 15.6%. Most notably, Bay County diverted 13.5% of defendants into pre-trial programs—well above the statewide 8.7%—allowing nearly one in seven defendants to avoid conviction through program completion. Dismissals were infrequent at 1.1%, but the robust diversion rate provided meaningful relief pathways.
Sentences were modest relative to other counties. Average incarceration reached just 321 days with a median of 55 days, placing most sentences in the misdemeanor-adjacent range. Only 13% received prison time; 26.1% served jail. Probation averaged 865 days. Public defenders represented 40.2% of cases, and fines averaged $405, reflecting a lower-income defendant population benefiting from structured diversion programs.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Larceny / Theft charge in Bay County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,839 prosecutor decisions on Larceny / Theft charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 11.7% — below the 23.7% 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 — 66.5% of 1,107 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,107 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 (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 1,008 | 1.9 months |
| State Prison Facility | 471 | 2.6 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Larceny / Theft sentencing in Bay County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Larceny / Theft in Bay County?
The guilty rate is 66.5% based on 1,107 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Larceny / Theft in Bay County?
Adjudication is withheld in 18.2% 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 Larceny / Theft in Bay County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 10.7 months, with an average fine of $405 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
39.8% of defendants use a public defender, while 3.5% retain private counsel (2025).
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 | 716 | 68.4% | 1.0% |
| Black | 362 | 65.7% | 1.1% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,366 | 62.5% | 2.4% | 11.6 months |
| 2024 | 1,257 | 62.0% | 1.5% | 0 year, 12 months |
| 2025 | 1,107 | 66.5% | 1.1% | 10.7 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 1,696 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1,128 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 826 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 55 |
| Felony | First Degree | 22 |
| NULL | NULL | 3 |
Related Charges in Bay County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Possession | 2,895 | 65.9% | 1.2% |
| Traffic Offense | 2,096 | 55.2% | 0.9% |
| Other | 1,369 | 41.3% | 2.0% |
| Battery | 1,040 | 64.7% | 1.9% |
| DUI | 622 | 98.1% | 0.5% |
| Resisting Officer | 623 | 66.8% | 1.9% |
| Fraud | 326 | 65.0% | 0.9% |
| Trespassing | 488 | 77.9% | 1.0% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Larceny / Theft in Bay County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,107 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/larceny-theft/bay
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Bay 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 · 1,107 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com