Convictions for May 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during May 2024 the government reported 5210 new convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is down 8.4 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 (-3.8%). 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 54.1 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 8.4 percent instead of 54.1 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 May 2024 was for "Immigration", accounting for 25.4 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking" (18.6%), "Weapons-Operation Triggerlock Major" (15%), "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (10%), "Withheld by Govt from TRAC (FOIA challen" (4.8%), "Project Safe Childhood" (4.6%), "Violence-Other" (2.1%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for convictions in May 2024 was DHS accounting for 35 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of convictions were: FBI (20% ), DEA (16%), ATF (13%), Local (3%). See Figure 3.
Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In May 2024, 333 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 May 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 62.2 percent of all magistrate convictions in May.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "18 USC 13 - Laws of States Adopted in Federal jurisdiction" (10.5%), "08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens" (6%).
Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In May 2024, 4877 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during May 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 May.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of matters filed in U.S. District Court during May 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 832 1 2 2 More 08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien 764 2 1 1 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 692 3 3 3 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 412 4 5 4 More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 265 5 4 5 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 123 6 7 8 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 99 8 6 6 More 18 USC 2252 - Material involving sexual exploitation of minors 73 9 9 7 More 18 USC 1951 - Hobbs Act 55 10 10 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 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Reentry of deported alien" under Title 8 U.S.C Section 1326. "Reentry of deported alien" under Title 8 U.S.C Section 1326 was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 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 22.6 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 — 98.6 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 39.8 percent — was " Importation of controlled substances " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 ). This was the same statute that had the largest decrease — 41.8 % — when compared with five years ago.
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In May 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 1756 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 Alaska 8,883 52 1 77 79 More Cal, S 8,649 249 2 4 3 More Okla, N 7,536 69 3 50 81 More N Mexico 7,382 130 4 5 4 More Texas, W 7,364 479 5 3 1 More Mo, E 7,290 177 6 9 10 More S Dakota 7,096 53 7 31 36 More N Dakota 6,160 40 8 55 45 More Okla, E 5,033 31 9 82 91 More Miss, S 4,739 73 10 49 38 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Alaska — with 8883 convictions as compared with 1756 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during May 2024.
The Southern District of California (San Diego) ranked 2nd. The Southern District of California (San Diego) was ranked 4 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 for most frequent use five years ago.
Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were South Dakota , now ranked 7th , and Southern District of Mississippi (Jackson) at 10th In the same order, these districts ranked 31st and 49th one year ago and 36th and 38th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of convictions compared to one year ago — 84.7 percent — was Eastern District of Oklahoma (Muskogee). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 269.7 percent — was Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of convictions — 37.1 percent — was Southern District of California (San Diego). But over the past five years, New Mexico showed the largest drop — 56.8 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 crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during May 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 116 1 15 3 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 69 2 11 9 More Guaderrama, David C. Texas, W 51 3 13 5 More Rodriguez, Fernando, Jr. Texas, S 44 4 3 11 More Montalvo, Frank Texas, W 43 5 15 7 More Gonzales, Kenneth John N Mexico 41 6 11 10 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 37 7 95 117 More Briones, David Texas, W 36 8 25 13 More Brack, Robert C. N Mexico 35 9 78 18 More Olvera, Jose Rolando, Jr. Texas, S 35 9 7 14 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 convictions per capita, while the remaining 4 judges were from other districts.
Judge Kathleen Cardone in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 1st with 116 convicted in convictions.
Judge Randy Crane in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 2nd with 69 convicted in convictions.
Judge David C. Guaderrama in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 3rd with 51 convicted in convictions.
Report Generated: September 3, 2024
