Convictions for January 2019
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during January 2019 the government reported 13995 new convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 29.2 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 2019 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (57.7%). 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 29.1 percent from levels reported in 2014.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Convictions
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 2019 was for "Immigration", accounting for 74.2 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking" (6.7%), "Weapons-Operation Triggerlock Major" (5.4%), "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (2.8%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for convictions in January 2019 was DHS accounting for 78 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of convictions were: ATF (5% ), FBI (5%), DEA (5%), Local (1%). See Figure 3.
Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In January 2019, 8120 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 January 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 90.2 percent of all magistrate convictions in January.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien" (7.2%).
Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In January 2019, 5875 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 2019.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien 1,899 1 1 1 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 689 2 3 4 More 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 664 3 2 2 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 453 4 4 3 More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 342 5 5 5 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 157 6 8 6 More 18 USC 1546 - Fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents 80 7 12 8 More 18 USC 2252 - Material involving sexual exploitation of minors 72 8 7 7 More 08 USC 1325 - Entry of alien at improper time or place; etc. 69 9 6 20 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 "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 4 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "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.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 109.2 percent — compared to one year ago was Title U.S.C Section that involves "Other US Code Section ". This was the same statute that had the largest increase — 277.3 % — when compared with five years ago.
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 44.3 percent — was " Entry of alien at improper time or place; etc. " (Title 8 U.S.C Section 1325 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 25.7 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Attempt and conspiracy " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 846 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In January 2019 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 2164.4 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 Cal, S 24,235 711 1 3 4 More Texas, W 14,810 891 2 1 1 More N Mexico 14,712 256 3 4 5 More Texas, S 8,594 698 4 2 2 More N Dakota 6,831 43 5 40 66 More S Dakota 5,612 40 6 22 25 More Mo, E 5,285 129 7 15 24 More Montana 4,912 43 8 35 54 More Ala, S 4,545 32 9 44 67 More Tenn, W 4,053 53 10 56 39 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 24235 convictions as compared with 2164.4 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during January 2019. The Southern District of California (San Diego) was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 4 for most frequent use five years ago.
The Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 2nd. The Western District of Texas (San Antonio) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.
District of New Mexico is now ranking 3rd. The District of New Mexico was ranked 4 a year ago, while it was ranked 5 for most frequent use five years ago.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis), now ranked 7th , and South Dakota at 6th In the same order, these districts ranked 15th and 22nd one year ago and 24th and 25th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of convictions compared to one year ago — 75 percent — was Western District of Tennessee (Memphis). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 40.9 percent — was Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of convictions — 24.5 percent — was South Dakota . This was the same district that had the largest increase — 38.7 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 January 2019 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Counts, Walter David, III Texas, W 168 1 - - More Ramos, Nelva Gonzales Texas, S 110 2 14 8 More Zainey, Jay C. Texas, W 96 3 61 - More Hinojosa, Ricardo H. Texas, S 89 4 3 5 More Rainey, John David Texas, S 88 5 22 22 More Moses, Alia M. Texas, W 81 6 8 3 More Martinez, Philip Ray Texas, W 78 7 9 15 More Alvarez, Micaela Texas, S 76 8 4 7 More Gonzales, Kenneth John N Mexico 74 9 2 4 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 68 10 5 9 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
All 10 of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of convictions per capit.
Judge Walter David Counts, III in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 1st with 168 convicted in convictions.
Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 2nd with 110 convicted in convictions.
Judge Jay C. Zainey in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 3rd with 96 convicted in convictions.
Report Generated: March 19, 2019
