Convictions for December 2017

Referring Agency: Internal Revenue Service

Number Latest Month 72
Percent Change from previous month 4.3
Percent Change from 1 year ago -4.8
Percent Change from 5 years ago
(Including Magistrate Court)
-1.7
Percent Change from 5 years ago
(Excluding Magistrate Court)
-0.5
Table 1. Criminal Convictions

The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during December 2017 the government reported 72 new convictions for these matters. Those cases were referred by the Internal Revenue Service. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 4.3 percent over the previous month.

The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (see Table 1).

When monthly 2017 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-4.8%). Convictions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 1.7 percent from levels reported in 2012.

The leveling out in these cases is partly related to increases in the matters filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. If magistrate cases are excluded and only Federal District Court cases are counted, the overall decrease in convictions is 0.5 percent instead of 1.7 percent. The evidence suggests that part of the difference may be the result of improvements in the recording of the magistrate cases by the Justice Department.

Bar and line plot of FYMON

Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Convictions

The leveling out from the levels five years ago in convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of convictions of this type recorded on a month-to-month basis. Where a prosecution was initially filed in U.S. Magistrate Court and then transferred to the U.S. District Court, the magistrate filing date was used since this provides an earlier indicator of actual trends. The superimposed line on the bars plots the six-month moving average so that natural fluctuations are smoothed out. The one and five-year rates of change in Table 1 and in the sections that follow are all based upon this six-month moving average. To view trends year-by-year rather than month-by-month, see TRAC's annual report series for a broader picture.

Cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.

The largest number of convictions of these matters in December 2017 was for "Fraud-Tax", accounting for 52.8 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Other" (8.3%), "Withheld by Govt from TRAC (FOIA challen" (8.3%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (5.6%), "Corruption(Govt Off)-Local" (2.8%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (2.8%), "Fraud-Other Investment" (2.8%), "Money Laundering-Other" (2.8%), "Other Criminal Prosecutions" (2.8%). See Figure 2.

Pie chart of progcatlabel

Figure 2. Specific Types of Convictions

Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts

Top Ranked Lead Charges

In December 2017, no defendants in cases for these matters were filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. These courts handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In addition, complaints are sometimes filed in the magistrate courts before an indictment or information is entered. In these cases, the matter starts in the magistrate courts and later moves to the district court where subsequent proceedings take place.

Convictions in U.S. District Courts

In December 2017, 72 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during December there were an additional 0 defendants whose cases moved from the magistrate courts to the U.S. district courts after an indictment or information was filed. The sections which follow cover both sets of cases and therefore cover all matters filed in district court during December.

Top Ranked Lead Charges

Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of matters filed in U.S. District Court during December 2017 referred by the Internal Revenue Service.

Lead Charge Count Rank  
26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 12 1 More
18 USC 287 - False, fictitious or fraudulent claims 11 2 More
18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 8 3 More
18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 5 4 More
26 USC 7201 - Attempt to evade or defeat tax 4 5 More
18 USC 286 - Conspiracy to defraud the Government claims 3 6 More
18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 3 6 More
26 USC 7202 - Willful failure to collect or pay over tax 3 6 More
18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 2 9 More
26 USC 7212 - Attempts to interfere with admin of tax laws 2 9 More
Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions

  • "Fraud and False statements" (Title 26 U.S.C Section 7206) was the most frequent recorded lead charge.

  • Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "False, fictitious or fraudulent claims" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 287.

  • Ranked 3rd was "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 371.

Top Ranked Judicial Districts

In December 2017 the Justice Department said the government obtained 26.7 convictions for every ten million people in the United States.

Understandably, there is great variation in the number of convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.

The districts registering the largest number of convictions of this type last month are shown in Table 3.


Judicial District Count Rank  
Fla, M 6 1 More
Virg, W 6 1 More
N. J. 5 3 More
Oregon 5 3 More
Ill, N 4 5 More
Arizona 3 6 More
Ga, N 3 6 More
N. Y., W 3 6 More
Fla, S 2 9 More
Mich, E 2 9 More
Minnesota 2 9 More
N. Y., E 2 9 More
Penn, E 2 9 More
Wisc, E 2 9 More
Table 3. Top 10 Districts

  • The Middle District of Florida (Tampa) and Western District of Virginia (Roanoke) — with 6 convictions — were the most active during December 2017.

  • District of New Jersey and District of Oregon are now ranking 3rd.

Top Ranked District Judges

At any one time, there are about 680 federal District Court judges working in the United States. The judges recorded with the largest number of new crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during December 2017 are shown in Table 4.

Judge Count Rank  
Wolford, Elizabeth Ann N. Y., W 3 1 More
Moon, Norman K. Virg, W 3 1 More
Snow, G. Murray Arizona 2 3 More
Jones, Steve CarMichael Ga, N 2 3 More
Jones, Robert Edward Oregon 2 3 More
Pepper, Pamela Wisc, E 2 3 More
Humetewa, Diane Joyce Arizona 1 7 More
Drozd, Dale A. Cal, E 1 7 More
White, Jeffrey Steven Cal, N 1 7 More
Arguello, Christine M. Colorado 1 7 More
Bryant, Vanessa Lynne Conn 1 7 More
Presnell, Gregory A. Fla, M 1 7 More
Sharp, George Kendall Fla, M 1 7 More
Whittemore, James D. Fla, M 1 7 More
Scriven, Mary Stenson Fla, M 1 7 More
Davis, Brian Jordan Fla, M 1 7 More
Mendoza, Carlos Eduardo Fla, M 1 7 More
Hurley, Daniel T. K. Fla, S 1 7 More
Ungaro, Ursula Mancusi Fla, S 1 7 More
Story, Richard W. Ga, N 1 7 More
Dale, Candy W. Idaho 1 7 More
Shadid, James Edward Ill, C 1 7 More
Kennelly, Matthew F. Ill, N 1 7 More
Kocoras, Charles Petros Ill, N 1 7 More
Dow, Robert Michael, Jr. Ill, N 1 7 More
Blakey, John Robert Ill, N 1 7 More
Herndon, David R. Ill, S 1 7 More
Moody, James Tyne Ind, N 1 7 More
Ebinger, Rebecca Goodgame Iowa, S 1 7 More
Murguia, Carlos Kansas 1 7 More
Grimm, Paul W. Maryland 1 7 More
Cleland, Robert Hardy Mich, E 1 7 More
Steeh, George Caram, III Mich, E 1 7 More
Magnuson, Paul Arthur Minnesota 1 7 More
Wright, Wilhelmina Marie Minnesota 1 7 More
Rodriguez, Joseph H. N. J. 1 7 More
Simandle, Jerome B. N. J. 1 7 More
Hillman, Noel Lawrence N. J. 1 7 More
Wigenton, Susan Davis N. J. 1 7 More
Salas, Esther N. J. 1 7 More
Dearie, Raymond Joseph N. Y., E 1 7 More
Cogan, Brian Mark N. Y., E 1 7 More
Abrams, Ronnie N. Y., S 1 7 More
Boulware, Richard Franklin, II Nevada 1 7 More
McCafferty, Landya B. New Hamp 1 7 More
Polster, Dan A. Ohio, N 1 7 More
Smith, George Curtis Ohio, S 1 7 More
Aiken, Ann L. Oregon 1 7 More
Brown, Anna J. Oregon 1 7 More
Simon, Michael Howard Oregon 1 7 More
Bartle, Harvey, III Penn, E 1 7 More
Goldberg, Mitchell S. Penn, E 1 7 More
Munley, James Martin Penn, M 1 7 More
Cercone, David S. Penn, W 1 7 More
Greer, J. Ronnie Tenn, E 1 7 More
Benson, Dee Vance Utah 1 7 More
Davis, Mark Steven Virg, E 1 7 More
Jones, James Parker Virg, W 1 7 More
Kiser, Jackson L. Virg, W 1 7 More
Urbanski, Michael Francis Virg, W 1 7 More
Groh, Gina Marie W Virg, N 1 7 More
Table 4. Top Ten Judges

A total of 39 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of convictions , while the remaining 22 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 61 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)

  • Judges Elizabeth Ann Wolford in the Western District of New York (Buffalo) and Norman K. Moon in the Western District of Virginia (Roanoke) ranked 1st with 3 convicted in convictions.

  • Judges G. Murray Snow in the District of Arizona, Steve CarMichael Jones in the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta), Robert Edward Jones in the District of Oregon and Pamela Pepper in the Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) ranked 3rd with 2 convicted in convictions.

Report Generated: January 24, 2018
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