Weapons Offense in Clay County, Florida
39 cases (2025) · Clay County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, weapons offenses in Clay County resulted in the harshest prosecution patterns statewide. Guilty verdicts reached 89.7%, the highest rate across counties, with zero dismissals and no diversion programs (versus 1.5% and 2.8% statewide respectively). Withheld adjudications appeared in 10.3% of cases, slightly above the 9.4% statewide average. The complete absence of dismissal and diversion opportunities reflects Clay County's zero-tolerance prosecution approach to weapons charges.
Defendants faced severe sentences averaging 1,635 days—over 4.5 years—with an additional 2.3 years probation. Three-quarters were sentenced to prison, the highest prison rate for weapons offenses statewide. Median sentences of 1,096 days underscore the severity, and fines averaged $636. Clay County's weapons prosecution stands apart for both conviction certainty and sentence severity.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Weapons Offense charge in Clay County makes it in front of a judge. Of 114 prosecutor decisions on Weapons Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 26.3% — below the 34.5% 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 — 89.7% of 39 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 39 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) |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 100 | 4.5 years |
| County Jail | 40 | 4.8 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Weapons 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 | 25 | 88.0% | 0.0% |
| Black | 13 | 92.3% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 70 | 82.9% | 1.4% | 2.6 years |
| 2024 | 50 | 88.0% | 0.0% | 3.4 years |
| 2025 | 39 | 89.7% | 0.0% | 4.5 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Second Degree | 120 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 22 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 15 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 2 |
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 | 559 | 70.1% | 1.1% |
| Larceny / Theft | 411 | 69.8% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 361 | 66.2% | 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% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Weapons Offense in Clay County, Florida (2025). Based on 39 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/weapons-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 · 39 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com