Convictions for September 2019
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during September 2019 the government reported 13278 new convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 2.9 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 down (-10.4%). 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 2.3 percent from levels reported in 2014.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Convictions
The leveling out 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 September 2019 was for "Immigration", accounting for 55.5 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking" (10.8%), "Weapons-Operation Triggerlock Major" (8.3%), "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (4.8%), "Withheld by Govt from TRAC (FOIA challen" (2.5%), "Project Safe Childhood" (2.4%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for convictions in September 2019 was DHS accounting for 60 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of convictions were: FBI (10% ), ATF (8%), DEA (8%), Local (2%). See Figure 3.
Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In September 2019, 4569 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 September 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 69.7 percent of all magistrate convictions in September.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien" (19%).
Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In September 2019, 8709 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 matters filed in U.S. District Court during September 2019.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 08 USC 1326 - Reentry of deported alien 2,674 1 1 1 More 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 1,122 2 2 2 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 980 3 3 4 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 674 4 4 3 More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 340 5 5 5 More 18 USC 2113 - Bank robbery and incidental crimes 114 6 11 8 More 18 USC 2252 - Material involving sexual exploitation of minors 109 7 6 6 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 108 8 9 12 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 106 9 7 7 More 18 USC 1951 - Hobbs Act 102 10 10 14 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 4 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 46.2 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 that involves " Importation of controlled substances ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 49.8 percent — was registered for convictions under " Firearms; Unlawful acts " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 922 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 8.3 percent — was " Material involving sexual exploitation of minors " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 2252 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 22.8 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Bank robbery and incidental crimes " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 2113 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In September 2019 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 3208.5 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 N Mexico 23,562 410 1 5 4 More Texas, W 19,165 1,153 2 1 1 More La, M 16,400 114 3 90 87 More Texas, S 11,463 931 4 2 2 More Cal, S 10,192 299 5 4 5 More S Dakota 8,979 64 6 36 38 More Tenn, W 8,259 108 7 42 43 More D. C. 8,127 47 8 74 57 More Ark, E 7,384 101 9 32 61 More Mo, E 7,047 172 10 13 22 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of New Mexico — with 23562 convictions as compared with 3208.5 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during September 2019. The District of New Mexico was ranked 5 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.
Middle District of Louisiana (Baton Rouge) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis), now ranked 10th , and Eastern District of Arkansas (Little Rock) at 9th In the same order, these districts ranked 13th and 32nd one year ago and 22nd and 61st five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of convictions compared to one year ago — 312.5 percent — was Middle District of Louisiana (Baton Rouge). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 182.9 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 September 2019 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Counts, Walter David, III Texas, W 197 1 10 - More Garcia Marmolejo, Marina Texas, S 140 2 22 22 More Ramos, Nelva Gonzales Texas, S 131 3 9 18 More Martinez, Philip Ray Texas, W 116 4 4 17 More Zainey, Jay C. Texas, W 108 5 1 - More Marten, John Thomas N Mexico 105 6 19 - More Gonzales, Kenneth John N Mexico 105 6 3 3 More Guaderrama, David C. Texas, W 105 6 12 19 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 97 9 6 7 More Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 87 10 13 15 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 197 convicted in convictions. Judge Counts also appeared in the top ten rankings one year ago (ranked 10).
Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 2nd with 140 convicted in convictions.
Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 3rd with 131 convicted in convictions. Judge Ramos also appeared in the top ten rankings one year ago (ranked 9).
Report Generated: October 25, 2019
