Stolen Property in Manatee County, Florida
63 cases (2025) · Manatee County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, stolen property cases in Manatee County pursued conviction rigorously: 87.3 percent resulted in guilty findings, 9.5 percent in withheld adjudication, and only 1.6 percent in dismissals or diversion. The withheld adjudication rate fell below the statewide average of 13.0 percent, and diversion programs resolved less than half the statewide average of 3.2 percent. Manatee County's State Attorney employed a conviction-focused strategy with minimal alternatives.
Sentences were notably harsh, averaging 1,458 days (about four years) with a median of 1,339 days (about 3.7 years), and 58.7 percent of defendants received prison sentences—the highest incarceration rate for stolen property charges across Florida. Only 1.6 percent had private counsel, with 30.2 percent represented by public defenders.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Stolen Property charge in Manatee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 130 prosecutor decisions on Stolen Property charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 5.4% — below the 37.4% 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 — 87.3% of 63 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 63 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 | 51 | 4.1 years |
| County Jail | 22 | 7.6 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Stolen Property sentencing in Manatee County.
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 | 54 | 88.9% | 1.9% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 45 | 75.6% | 4.4% | 1 year, 8 months |
| 2024 | 53 | 67.9% | 0.0% | 2.1 years |
| 2025 | 63 | 87.3% | 1.6% | 4.0 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 147 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 11 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Manatee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 5,110 | 43.6% | 2.7% |
| Drug Possession | 1,870 | 61.7% | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,034 | 59.6% | 3.1% |
| Battery | 707 | 56.4% | 2.8% |
| Other | 658 | 49.8% | 3.0% |
| Resisting Officer | 575 | 70.8% | 2.8% |
| Trespassing | 384 | 69.3% | 7.8% |
| Fraud | 404 | 67.3% | 0.7% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Stolen Property in Manatee County?
The guilty rate is 87.3% based on 63 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Stolen Property in Manatee County?
Adjudication is withheld in 9.5% 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 Stolen Property in Manatee County?
The average sentence is 4.0 years (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
30.2% of defendants use a public defender, while 1.6% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Stolen Property in Manatee County, Florida (2025). Based on 63 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/stolen-property/manatee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Manatee 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 · 63 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com