Weapons Offense in Lee County, Florida
123 cases (2025) · Lee County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, weapons charges in Lee County resulted in conviction or adjudication withheld in 98.4% of cases (87.8% guilty, 10.6% withheld). The county achieved no dismissals compared to 1.5% statewide, indicating a prosecutorial approach that pursues weapons charges through conviction. Diversion opportunities were rare at 0.8%, below the statewide 2.8% average.
Defendants convicted in Lee County faced substantial confinement, with a median sentence of about 4.4 years and 53.7% receiving prison time. Probation averaged over 3 years. Public defenders represented 13% of defendants, with private counsel at 12.2%.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Weapons Offense charge in Lee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,098 prosecutor decisions on Weapons Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 56.5% — above the 34.6% 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 — 87.8% of 123 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 123 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 | 215 | 5.5 years |
| County Jail | 91 | 7.4 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Weapons Offense sentencing in Lee County.
Counsel Analysis (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 62 | 85.5% | 0.0% |
| White | 57 | 91.2% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 177 | 83.6% | 0.6% | 3.9 years |
| 2024 | 169 | 92.3% | 0.6% | 3.9 years |
| 2025 | 123 | 87.8% | 0.0% | 4.4 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 | 312 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 104 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 44 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 9 |
Related Charges in Lee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 4,039 | 67.2% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 2,117 | 77.4% | 0.1% |
| DUI | 1,301 | 98.9% | 0.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 913 | 82.4% | 0.5% |
| Resisting Officer | 686 | 84.0% | 1.9% |
| Battery | 717 | 71.7% | 2.5% |
| Trespassing | 456 | 83.3% | 5.9% |
| Other | 458 | 72.5% | 1.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Weapons Offense in Lee County?
The guilty rate is 87.8% based on 123 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Weapons Offense in Lee County?
Adjudication is withheld in 10.6% 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 Weapons Offense in Lee County?
The average sentence is 4.4 years (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
13.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 12.2% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Weapons Offense in Lee County, Florida (2025). Based on 123 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/weapons-offense/lee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Lee 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 · 123 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com