Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for December 2023
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during December 2023 the government reported 1365 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 2.2 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for narcotics/drugs-related offenses 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 2023 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (18.7%). 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 9.9 percent from levels reported in 2018.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Narcotics/Drugs Convictions
The increase from the levels five years ago in narcotics/drugs convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of narcotics/drugs 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.
Within the broad category of narcotics/drugs, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within narcotics/drugs are
Drug Trafficking
Simple Drug Possession
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
Major Project Triggerlock Prosecutions (OCDETF)
Other Triggerlock Prosecutions (OCDETF)
The largest number of convictions of these matters in December 2023 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 65.9 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (33.8%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in December 2023 was DEA accounting for 46 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: DHS (18% ), FBI (17%), ATF (8%), Local (5%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In December 2023, no defendants in narcotics/drugs cases for these matters were convicted 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.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In December 2023, 1364 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 narcotics/drugs matters filed in U.S. District Court during December 2023.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 719 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 371 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 68 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 31 5 5 4 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 27 6 6 5 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 20 7 9 7 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 9 8 7 6 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 8 9 8 9 More 18 USC 924 - Firearms; Penalties 6 10 12 10 More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Attempt and conspiracy" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 846. "Attempt and conspiracy" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 846 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Importation of controlled substances" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 952. "Importation of controlled substances" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 157.5 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 46 U.S.C Section 70506 that involves " Penalties ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 981.5 percent — was registered for convictions under "Other US Code Section " (Title U.S.C Section ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 24.3 percent — was " Importation of controlled substances " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 40 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Firearms; Penalties " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 924 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In December 2023 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 491.1 narcotics/drugs convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of narcotics/drugs convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of convictions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 narcotics/drugs convictions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Cal, S 3,855 111 1 1 2 More N Dakota 2,926 19 2 40 48 More Mo, E 1,647 40 3 5 29 More Okla, N 1,638 15 4 59 87 More Minnesota 1,574 75 5 62 69 More S Dakota 1,473 11 6 33 62 More Ken, E 1,345 25 7 21 17 More W Virg, N 1,298 10 8 19 39 More W Virg, S 1,269 9 9 77 54 More Idaho 1,238 20 10 31 57 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 3855 convictions as compared with 491.1 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during December 2023. The Southern District of California (San Diego) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 for most frequent use five years ago.
The District of North Dakota ranked 2nd.
Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) is now ranking 3rd. The Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) was ranked 5 a year ago.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling), now ranked 8th , and Eastern District of Kentucky (Lexington) at 7th In the same order, these districts ranked 19th and 21st one year ago and 39th and 17th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 156.5 percent — was North Dakota . Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 211.8 percent — was Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 7.9 percent — was Southern District of California (San Diego). But over the past five years, Eastern District of Kentucky (Lexington) showed the largest drop — 8.1 percent.
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 narcotics/drugs crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during December 2023 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Lopez, Linda Cal, S 22 1 26 - More Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 21 2 88 136 More Besosa, Francisco Augusto Puer Rico 17 3 35 156 More Bunning, David L. Ken, E 16 4 33 41 More Curiel, Gonzalo Paul Cal, S 15 5 3 26 More Hernandez, Marco Antonio Oregon 15 5 205 240 More Nye, David Charles Idaho 13 7 36 263 More Carreņo-Coll, Silvia Luisa Puer Rico 13 7 18 - More Montenegro, Ruth Bermudez Cal, S 12 9 183 665 More Rose, Stephanie Marie Iowa, S 11 10 7 13 More Frank, Donovan W. Minnesota 11 10 321 345 More Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 11 10 36 9 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 6 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of narcotics/drugs convictions per capita, while the remaining 6 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 12 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Linda Lopez in the Southern District of California (San Diego) ranked 1st with 22 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 2nd with 21 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Francisco Augusto Besosa in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 3rd with 17 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: February 7, 2024
