Convictions for January 2013
Referring Agency: Social Security Administration
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during January 2013 the government reported 44 new convictions for these matters. Those cases were referred by the Social Security Administration. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 18.9% 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 2013 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (4.5 percent). Convictions over the past year are still much higher than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are up 15.2 percent from levels reported in 2008.
The increase 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 January 2013 was for "Fraud-Federal Program", accounting for 61.4 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Theft-Government Property" (11.4%), " Corruption(Govt Off)-Fed Program" (6.8%), "Immigration" (4.5%), "Counterfeiting and Forgery" (2.3%), "Fraud-Bankruptcy" (2.3%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (2.3%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (2.3%), "Fraud-Other" (2.3%), "Fugitive Crimes" (2.3%) , "Other Criminal Prosecutions" (2.3%). See Figure 2.
Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In January 2013, 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 January 2013, 44 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during January 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 January.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of matters filed in U.S. District Court during January 2013referred by the Social Security Administration.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 21 1 1 2 More 42 USC 408 - Fed Old Age, Survivors & Disab Insur -Penalties 12 2 2 1 More 42 USC 1383a - Fraudulent acts; penalties; restitution 2 3 3 8 More 18 USC 152 - Concealment of assets; false oaths and claims; etc 1 4 10 15 More 18 USC 513 - Securities of the States and private entities 1 4 - - More 18 USC 911 - False personification - Citizen of the US 1 4 - - More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 1 4 6 3 More 18 USC 1028A - Aggravated Identity Theft 1 4 6 13 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 1 4 9 12 More 18 USC 1546 - Fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents 1 4 - 6 More 18 USC 2250 - Fail to register as sex offender after traveling interstate commerce 1 4 - - More 42 USC 1383 - Social Security -Procedure for payment of benefits 1 4 5 4 More Table 2: Top charges for convictions
"Public money, property or records" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 641) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Public money, property or records" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 641) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Fed Old Age, Survivors & Disab Insur -Penalties" under Title 42 U.S.C Section 408. "Fed Old Age, Survivors & Disab Insur -Penalties" under Title 42 U.S.C Section 408 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Fraudulent acts; penalties; restitution" under Title 42 U.S.C Section 1383. "Fraudulent acts; penalties; restitution" under Title 42 U.S.C Section 1383 was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 8 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions—up 22.2 percent—compared to one year ago was Title 42 U.S.C Section 1383 that involves " Fraudulent acts; penalties; restitution ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase—141.4 percent—was registered for convictions under " Public money, property or records " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 641 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago—down 62.5 percent—was Social Security -Procedure for payment of benefits (Title 42 U.S.C Section 1383 ). This was the same statute that had the largest decrease— 76.9 %—when compared with five years ago.
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In January 2013 the Justice Department said the government obtained 17.2 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 Mo, E 5 1 More Fla, M 4 2 More Ala, M 2 3 More La, W 2 3 More Penn, W 2 3 More Tenn, E 2 3 More Virg, E 2 3 More Virg, W 2 3 More Ala, S 1 9 More Arizona 1 9 More Ark, E 1 9 More Cal, E 1 9 More Conn 1 9 More Fla, S 1 9 More Ill, S 1 9 More Ind, N 1 9 More Iowa, S 1 9 More Kansas 1 9 More La, E 1 9 More Mich, E 1 9 More Mo, W 1 9 More Montana 1 9 More N Car, M 1 9 More N Mexico 1 9 More Nebraska 1 9 More Oregon 1 9 More Penn, M 1 9 More S Car 1 9 More Tenn, W 1 9 More Texas, E 1 9 More Texas, S 1 9 More Table 3: Top 10 districts
The Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis)—with 5 convictions—was the most active during January 2013.
The Middle District of Florida (Tampa) ranked 2nd.
Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery), Western District of Louisiana (Shreveport), Western District of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville), Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria) and Western District of Virginia (Roano ke) 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 January 2013 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Honeywell, Charlene Vanessa Edwards Fla, M 2 1 More Haik, Richard T., Sr La, W 2 1 More Noce, David D. Mo, E 2 1 More Spencer, James Randolph Virg, E 2 1 More Fuller, Mark E. Ala, M 1 5 More Watkins, William Keith Ala, M 1 5 More DuBose, Kristi K. Ala, S 1 5 More Teilborg, James A. Arizona 1 5 More Holmes, J[ames] Leon Ark, E 1 5 More Ishii, Anthony W. Cal, E 1 5 More Arterton, Janet Bond Conn 1 5 More Conway, Anne C. Fla, M 1 5 More Kovachevich, Elizabeth Anne Fla, M 1 5 More King, James Lawrence Fla, S 1 5 More Murphy, G. Patrick Ill, S 1 5 More Cosbey, Roger B. Ind, N 1 5 More Pratt, Robert W. Iowa, S 1 5 More Murguia, Carlos Kansas 1 5 More Duval, Stanwood R., Jr. La, E 1 5 More Battani, Marianne O. Mich, E 1 5 More Jackson, Carol E. Mo, E 1 5 More Baker, Nannette A. Mo, E 1 5 More Fleissig, Audrey Goldstein Mo, E 1 5 More Kays, David Gregory Mo, W 1 5 More Haddon, Sam E. Montana 1 5 More Schroeder, Thomas D. N Car, M 1 5 More Marten, John Thomas N Mexico 1 5 More Bataillon, Joseph F. Nebraska 1 5 More Conaboy, Richard Paul Penn, M 1 5 More Ambrose, Donetta W. Penn, W 1 5 More McLaughlin, Sean J. Penn, W 1 5 More Seymour, Margaret B. S Car 1 5 More Phillips, Thomas W. Tenn, E 1 5 More Varlan, Thomas A. Tenn, E 1 5 More McCalla, Jon Phipps Tenn, W 1 5 More Guthrie, Judith K. Texas, E 1 5 More Rainey, John David Texas, S 1 5 More Wilson, Samuel Grayson Virg, W 1 5 More Conrad, Glen Edward Virg, W 1 5 More Table 4: Top 10 judges
All 39 of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of convictions . (Because of ties, there were a total of 39 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judges Charlene Vanessa Edwards Honeywell in the Middle District of Florida (Tampa), Richard T. Haik, Sr in the Western District of Louisiana (Shreveport), David D. Noce in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) and James Randolph Spencer in the Eastern Dis trict of Virginia (Alexandria) ranked 1st with 2 convicted in convictions.
Report Generated: March 5, 2013
