Stolen Property in Manatee County, Florida

63 cases (2025) · Manatee County courts

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.

Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.

63
Total Cases (2025)
87.3%
Guilty Rate
9.5%
Withheld Rate
1.6%
Dismissal Rate
vs 2.1% statewide, 2025
4.0 years
Avg Sentence (confined)

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 37.3% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.

Filed for prosecution
89.2% (116)
Declined to file
0.0% (0)
Dropped after filing
5.4% (7)
Administratively dismissed
0.0% (0)
Pre-trial diversion
5.4% (7)

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.

I Outcomes

Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)

Guilty
87.3% (55)
Withheld
9.5% (6)
Diversion
1.6% (1)
Dismissed
1.6% (1)
Acquitted
0.0% (0)

Largest outcomeGuilty — 87.3% of 63 cases.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 63 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com

II Sentencing

Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)

4.0 years
Avg Sentence (confined)
3.7 years
Median Sentence
4.0 years
Avg Probation
$1,425
Avg Fine
58.7%
Prison Rate
7.9%
Jail Rate

Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).

Confinement Type Count Avg Sentence (confined)
State Prison Facility 52 4.1 years
County Jail 22 7.6 months
III Getting Help

Need a Defense Attorney in Manatee County?

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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?

Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 4.0 years, with an average fine of $1,425 (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).

IV Full Data
51
Public Defender
80.4% guilty · 0.0% dismissed
10
Self or Unrepresented
60.0% guilty · 10.0% dismissed

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%
1.6%
Under 21
7.9%
21-29
31.7%
30-39
38.1%
40-49
19.0%
50-59
1.6%
60+

Exhibit · Disposition trends

Year Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate Avg Sentence (confined)
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
Level Degree Cases
Felony Second Degree 147
Misdemeanor First Degree 11
Felony First Degree 2
Felony Third Degree 1
Charge Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate
Traffic Offense 5,099 43.9% 2.7%
Drug Possession 1,863 62.0% 0.9%
Larceny / Theft 1,030 59.9% 3.1%
Battery 706 56.7% 2.8%
Other 653 50.2% 3.1%
Resisting Officer 573 71.0% 2.8%
Trespassing 385 69.1% 7.8%
Fraud 402 67.9% 0.7%

Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Stolen Property in Manatee County, Florida (2025). Based on 63 public court records; last updated September 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 September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com