Sex Offense in Clay County, Florida
110 cases (2025) · Clay County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Clay County pursued sex offense prosecutions with exceptional vigor. Guilty verdicts occurred in 96.4% of cases—the highest conviction rate among comparable counties—while withheld adjudications and diversions were rare. Only 1.8% of cases were dismissed, below the statewide average of 2.8%, and no diversion programs were used. Defendants found guilty faced formal convictions.
Sentences were severe, averaging 3,305 days (nine years) with a median of 3,653 days. Prison confinement applied to 57.3% of defendants, jail to 26.4%. The average fine of $1,312 was substantially higher than most counties, indicating aggressive financial penalties alongside confinement.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Sex Offense charge in Clay County makes it in front of a judge. Of 191 prosecutor decisions on Sex Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 16.8% — below the 26.5% 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 — 96.4% of 110 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 110 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 |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 204 | 10.1 years |
| County Jail | 58 | 7.3 months |
| Confined to Other Diversionary Facility | 2 | 5.0 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Sex Offense sentencing in Clay County.
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 | 95 | 98.9% | 0.0% |
| Black | 12 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 115 | 99.1% | 0.0% | 9.4 years |
| 2024 | 67 | 97.0% | 1.5% | 3.8 years |
| 2025 | 110 | 96.4% | 1.8% | 9.1 years |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 161 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 72 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 23 |
| Felony | First Degree | 19 |
| Felony | Life | 11 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 3 |
| Felony | NULL | 2 |
| Felony | Capital | 1 |
Related Charges in Clay County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,116 | 59.9% | 0.9% |
| Drug Possession | 560 | 70.2% | 1.1% |
| Larceny / Theft | 411 | 69.8% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 363 | 65.8% | 1.1% |
| Other | 424 | 47.6% | 32.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 194 | 73.2% | 0.0% |
| DUI | 133 | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Trespassing | 129 | 81.4% | 2.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Sex Offense in Clay County?
The guilty rate is 96.4% based on 110 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Sex Offense in Clay County?
Adjudication is withheld in 1.8% 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 Sex Offense in Clay County?
The average sentence is 9.1 years, with an average fine of $1,312 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Sex Offense in Clay County, Florida (2025). Based on 110 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/sex-offense/clay
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Clay 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 · 110 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com