Larceny / Theft in Sarasota County, Florida
1,016 cases (2025) · Sarasota County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, larceny and theft defendants in Sarasota County had a 64.9% guilty conviction rate with 21.6% adjudication withheld—a notably high rate that exceeds most other counties. The dismissal rate of 2.6% exceeded the statewide average of 1.7%, and diversion was available at 9.4%, slightly above statewide. These patterns suggest Sarasota County takes a more flexible, outcome-oriented approach to theft prosecution.
Confinement was limited: only 8.6% received prison sentences, with 18.9% receiving jail. Average sentence among confined defendants was 407.6 days (1.1 years), with a median of 183 days. Average probation ran 768.9 days (2.1 years). Fines averaged $516.46. Private counsel represented 0.6% of defendants; public defender representation was not reported.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Larceny / Theft charge in Sarasota County makes it in front of a judge. Of 2,073 prosecutor decisions on Larceny / Theft charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 4.6% — 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 — 64.9% of 1,016 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,016 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 | 552 | 4.9 months |
| State Prison Facility | 260 | 2.7 years |
| Confined to Other Diversionary Facility | 1 | 4.0 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Larceny / Theft sentencing in Sarasota County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Larceny / Theft in Sarasota County?
The guilty rate is 64.9% based on 1,016 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Larceny / Theft in Sarasota County?
Adjudication is withheld in 21.6% 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 Sarasota County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 1 year, 1 months, with an average fine of $516 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.6% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (2023-2025)
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 | 756 | 64.8% | 2.8% |
| Black | 229 | 67.7% | 1.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,019 | 58.6% | 3.4% | 1 year, 3 months |
| 2024 | 930 | 62.6% | 1.1% | 1 year, 1 months |
| 2025 | 1,016 | 64.9% | 2.6% | 1 year, 1 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 | 1,272 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 820 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 806 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 49 |
| Felony | First Degree | 16 |
| NULL | Second Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Sarasota County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 3,234 | 51.5% | 2.9% |
| Drug Possession | 2,389 | 76.3% | 1.1% |
| Other | 1,055 | 78.2% | 2.4% |
| DUI | 710 | 96.8% | 0.7% |
| Sex Offense | 561 | 78.3% | 0.2% |
| Battery | 666 | 59.3% | 0.9% |
| Resisting Officer | 590 | 74.4% | 1.4% |
| Trespassing | 442 | 78.7% | 2.3% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Larceny / Theft in Sarasota County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,016 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/larceny-theft/sarasota
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Sarasota 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 · 1,016 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com