Sex Offense in Nassau County, Florida
66 cases (2023-2025) · Nassau County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2023-2025 data
Nassau County prosecutes sex offenses more moderately than Holmes County, with an 89.4% guilty rate and notably higher reliance on withheld adjudication at 9.1%, double the statewide average of 4.3%. The county has recorded no dismissals, suggesting charges reach court only when prosecution has strong cases ready for trial. The combination of high guilty rates with elevated withheld adjudication use suggests the State Attorney accepts guilty findings but sometimes defers formal conviction, possibly in cases with mitigating factors or younger defendants.
Sentences average 4.5 years and run substantially shorter than Holmes County, with a median of 2.5 years. Prison confinement occurs in 48.5% of cases, half the rate of Holmes County, while 3% receive jail time. Notably, 30.3% of defendants rely on public defenders, indicating a higher proportion of lower-income defendants than Holmes County, which may correlate with both the shorter sentences and higher use of withheld adjudication as a rehabilitative alternative to full conviction.
Figures cover 66 cases (2023-2025) — fewer than 30 cases resolved in 2025, so multi-year figures are shown.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Sex Offense charge in Nassau County makes it in front of a judge. Of 51 prosecutor decisions on Sex Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 37.3% — above 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 (2023-2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2023-2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 89.4% of 66 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 66 cases · 2023-2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2023-2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2023-2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 32 | 4.8 years |
| County Jail | 2 | 7.6 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Sex Offense sentencing in Nassau County.
Counsel Analysis (2023-2025)
Demographics (2023-2025)
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 | 53 | 96.2% | 0.0% |
| Black | 11 | 54.5% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2023-2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 40 | 90.0% | 0.0% | 4.7 years |
| 2024 | 8 | 87.5% | 0.0% | 4.3 years |
| 2025 | 18 | 88.9% | 0.0% | 3.9 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 28 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 13 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 13 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 10 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Nassau County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 474 | 25.9% | 1.9% |
| Drug Possession | 349 | 72.2% | 0.3% |
| Other | 246 | 77.6% | 2.4% |
| Probation Violation | 323 | 68.4% | 19.5% |
| Larceny / Theft | 176 | 79.0% | 0.0% |
| DUI | 155 | 97.4% | 0.0% |
| Resisting Officer | 90 | 70.0% | 1.1% |
| Battery | 91 | 75.8% | 0.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Sex Offense in Nassau County?
The guilty rate is 89.4% based on 66 cases (2023-2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Sex Offense in Nassau County?
Adjudication is withheld in 9.1% of cases (2023-2025). 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 Nassau County?
The average sentence is 4.5 years (2023-2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
30.3% of defendants use a public defender, while 7.6% retain private counsel (2023-2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Sex Offense in Nassau County, Florida (2023-2025). Based on 66 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/sex-offense/nassau
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Nassau 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 · 66 cases (2023-2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com