Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for September 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during September 2024 the government reported 2016 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 30.1 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 2024 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-12.8%). 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 11.8 percent from levels reported in 2019.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Narcotics/Drugs Convictions
The decrease 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 September 2024 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 63.9 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (35.5%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in September 2024 was DEA accounting for 44 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: FBI (20% ), DHS (16%), ATF (11%), Local (4%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In September 2024, 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 September 2024, 2014 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during September 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 September.
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 September 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 1,101 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 543 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 83 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 44 5 5 4 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 36 6 6 5 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 19 7 8 7 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 13 8 7 8 More 21 USC 843 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts C 11 9 17 10 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 9 10 16 19 More 18 USC 846 - Explosives - Additional powers of the Secretary 9 10 20 15 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 42.1 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 21 U.S.C Section 843 that involves " Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts C ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 170.1 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 22 percent — was " Importation of controlled substances " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 38.6 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts C " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 843 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In September 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 725.1 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 W Virg, N 5,842 45 1 28 53 More D. C. 3,930 22 2 66 89 More Cal, S 3,473 100 3 1 1 More Ala, S 2,780 20 4 68 57 More La, M 2,252 16 5 77 71 More La, E 2,182 30 6 75 49 More Vermont 2,040 11 7 76 61 More Texas, W 2,029 132 8 2 3 More Mo, E 2,018 49 9 12 16 More N Dakota 2,002 13 10 19 49 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) — with 5842 convictions as compared with 725.1 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during September 2024.
The District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) ranked 2nd.
Southern District of California (San Diego) is now ranking 3rd. The Southern District of California (San Diego) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis), now ranked 9th , and North Dakota at 10th In the same order, these districts ranked 12th and 19th one year ago and 16th and 49th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 102.4 percent — was Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 163.2 percent — was Washington, D.C. (Washington).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 54.9 percent — was North Dakota . But over the past five years, Middle District of Louisiana (Baton Rouge) showed the largest drop — 50 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 September 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Crane, Randy Texas, S 41 1 38 36 More Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 37 2 22 55 More Pitman, Robert Texas, W 23 3 31 183 More Groh, Gina Marie W Virg, N 23 3 75 230 More Delgado Hernandez, Pedro Alberto Puer Rico 22 5 6 82 More Crone, Marcia A. Texas, E 22 5 74 8 More Alvarez, Micaela Texas, S 22 5 36 14 More McShane, Michael Jerome Oregon 21 8 247 541 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 17 9 64 192 More Bencivengo, Cathy Ann Cal, S 16 10 2 4 More Royal, C. Ashley Ga, M 16 10 459 541 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 4 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 7 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 11 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Randy Crane in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 1st with 41 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Kathleen Cardone in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 2nd with 37 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judges Robert Pitman in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) and Gina Marie Groh in the Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) ranked 3rd with 23 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: November 1, 2024
