Convictions for February 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during February 2024 the government reported 6798 new convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 9.6 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 2024 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-3.9%). 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 57.9 percent from levels reported in 2019.
The dip 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 4.5 percent instead of 57.9 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.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Convictions
The decrease 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 February 2024 was for "Immigration", accounting for 38.2 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking" (14.8%), "Weapons-Operation Triggerlock Major" (12.2%), "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (7.9%), "Project Safe Childhood" (4.1%), "Withheld by Govt from TRAC (FOIA challen" (4.1%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for convictions in February 2024 was DHS accounting for 46 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of convictions were: FBI (15% ), DEA (12%), ATF (11%), Local (3%). See Figure 3.
Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In February 2024, 696 defendants 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.
In the magistrate courts in February the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 8 U.S.C Section 1325 involving "Entry of alien at improper time or place; etc.". This was the lead charge for 72.4 percent of all magistrate convictions in February.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "18 USC 13 - Laws of States Adopted in Federal jurisdiction" (10.3%).
Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In February 2024, 6102 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during February 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 February.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of matters filed in U.S. District Court during February 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien 1,575 1 1 1 More 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 877 2 2 2 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 745 3 3 3 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 432 4 5 4 More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 388 5 4 5 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 109 7 7 9 More 18 USC 2252 - Material involving sexual exploitation of minors 94 8 9 7 More 18 USC 1951 - Hobbs Act 78 9 10 10 More 18 USC 2250 - Fail to register as sex offender after traveling interstate commerce 66 10 11 13 More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Reentry of deported alien" (Title 8 U.S.C Section 1326) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Reentry of deported alien" (Title 8 U.S.C Section 1326) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 841. "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Firearms; Unlawful acts" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 922. "Firearms; Unlawful acts" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 922 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 23 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343 that involves " Fraud by wire, radio, or television ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 134.6 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 13.9 percent — was " Bringing in and harboring certain aliens " (Title 8 U.S.C Section 1324 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 34.8 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Reentry of deported alien " (Title 8 U.S.C Section 1326 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In February 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 2197 convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of 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 convictions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago D. C. 13,933 78 1 52 64 More Arizona 13,762 844 2 2 5 More Montana 10,046 94 3 46 48 More Texas, W 9,901 644 4 1 1 More Delaware 9,544 81 5 89 92 More N Mexico 9,426 166 6 5 4 More Alaska 7,687 45 7 69 69 More Cal, S 6,217 179 8 4 3 More Okla, N 6,007 55 9 59 83 More Mo, E 5,766 140 10 8 10 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) — with 13933 convictions as compared with 2197 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during February 2024.
The District of Arizona ranked 2nd. The District of Arizona was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 5 for most frequent use five years ago.
District of Montana is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Montana , now ranked 3rd , and Washington, D.C. (Washington) at 1st In the same order, these districts ranked 46th and 52nd one year ago and 48th and 64th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of convictions compared to one year ago — 148.1 percent — was Washington, D.C. (Washington). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 195.6 percent — when compared with five years ago.
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of convictions — 32.6 percent — was New Mexico . This was the same district that had the largest increase — 62.7 percent — when compared with five years ago.
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 February 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 118 1 8 5 More Rateau, Jacqueline M. Arizona 88 2 642 807 More Counts, Walter David, III Texas, W 73 3 1 2 More Moses, Alia M. Texas, W 71 4 2 13 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 65 5 4 6 More Montalvo, Frank Texas, W 55 6 15 8 More Guaderrama, David C. Texas, W 52 7 7 12 More Briones, David Texas, W 51 8 22 11 More Rodriguez, Fernando, Jr. Texas, S 49 9 9 16 More Garcia Marmolejo, Marina Texas, S 47 10 16 22 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 7 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of convictions per capita, while the remaining 3 judges were from other districts.
Judge Kathleen Cardone in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 1st with 118 convicted in convictions. Judge Cardone appeared in the top ten rankings one year (ranked 8) and five years ago (rank 5).
Judge Jacqueline M. Rateau in the District of Arizona ranked 2nd with 88 convicted in convictions.
Judge Walter David Counts, III in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 3rd with 73 convicted in convictions. Judge Counts appeared in the top ten rankings one year (ranked 1) and five years ago (rank 2).
Report Generated: April 3, 2024
