Government Regulatory Convictions for February 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during February 2024 the government reported 63 new government regulatory convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 6.8 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for government regulatory-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 (-10.5%). 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 41.6 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 government regulatory convictions is 26 percent instead of 41.6 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 Government Regulatory Convictions
The decrease from the levels five years ago in government regulatory convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of government regulatory 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 government regulatory, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within government regulatory are
Counterfeiting and Forgery
Customs Violations - Duty
Customs Violations - Currency
Energy Pricing and Related Fraud
Health and Safety Violations - Employees
Health and Safety Violations - General Public
Copyright Violations
Trafficking in Contraband Cigarettes
Energy Violations - Nuclear Waste Issues
Money Laundering/Structuring (Narcotics)
Money Laundering/Structuring (Other)
Export Enforcement General
Other Government Regulatory Offenses
The largest number of convictions of these matters in February 2024 was for "Other-Regulatory Offenses", accounting for 49.2 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Money Laundering-Other" (22.2%), "Money Laundering-Drug" (11.1%), "Customs-Duty Violations" (6.3%), "Counterfeiting and Forgery" (4.8%), "Customs-Currency Violations" (4.8%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for government regulatory convictions in February 2024 was Interior accounting for 27 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of government regulatory convictions were: FBI (16% ), DHS (13%), DEA (10%), Veteran (10%). See Figure 3.
Government Regulatory Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In February 2024, 28 defendants in government regulatory 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.
In the magistrate courts in February the most frequently cited lead charge was Title U.S.C Section involving "Other US Code Section". This was the lead charge for 50 percent of all magistrate convictions in February.
Government Regulatory Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In February 2024, 35 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 government regulatory matters filed in U.S. District Court during February 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 14 1 More 18 USC 472 - Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities 3 2 More 18 USC 554 - Smuggling goods from the United States 3 2 More 31 USC 5332 - Bulk Cash Smuggling into or out of the United States 3 2 More 18 USC 1957 - Monetary transactions w/property from unlawful act 2 5 More 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 2 5 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 2 5 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 1 8 More 18 USC 1365 - Tampering with consumer products 1 8 More 18 USC 2199 - Stowaways on vessels or aircraft 1 8 More 18 USC 2250 - Fail to register as sex offender after traveling interstate commerce 1 8 More 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 1 8 More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Laundering of monetary instruments" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1956) was the most frequent recorded lead charge.
Ranked 2nd in frequency were the lead charges "Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 472, "Smuggling goods from the United States" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 554 and "Bulk Cash Smuggling into or out of the United States" under Title 31 U.S.C Section 5332.
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In February 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 12.6 government regulatory convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the number of government regulatory convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of convictions of this type last month are shown in Table 3.
Judicial District Count Rank Texas, S 5 1 More Cal, C 3 2 More Texas, W 3 2 More Ga, N 2 4 More N. Y., E 2 4 More N. Y., S 2 4 More Puer Rico 2 4 More Cal, S 1 8 More Fla, M 1 8 More Fla, S 1 8 More Ken, E 1 8 More Maryland 1 8 More Mass 1 8 More Mo, E 1 8 More N. J. 1 8 More Ohio, S 1 8 More Penn, M 1 8 More R. I. 1 8 More S Dakota 1 8 More Tenn, E 1 8 More Texas, E 1 8 More Texas, N 1 8 More W Virg, N 1 8 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts
The Southern District of Texas (Houston) — with 5 convictions — was the most active during February 2024.
The Central District of California (Los Angeles) and Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 2nd.
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 government regulatory crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during February 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 2 1 More Rodriguez, Fernando, Jr. Texas, S 2 1 More Anderson, Percy Cal, C 1 3 More Wu, George H. Cal, C 1 3 More Kronstadt, John Arnold Cal, C 1 3 More Bashant, Cynthia Ann Cal, S 1 3 More Corrigan, Timothy J. Fla, M 1 3 More Middlebrooks, Donald M. Fla, S 1 3 More May, Leigh Martin Ga, N 1 3 More Ross, Eleanor Louise Ga, N 1 3 More Bunning, David L. Ken, E 1 3 More Bennett, Richard D. Maryland 1 3 More Stearns, Richard Gaylore Mass 1 3 More Ross, John Andrew Mo, E 1 3 More Martinotti, Brian R. N. J. 1 3 More Watson, Michael H. Ohio, S 1 3 More McConnell, John James, Jr. R. I. 1 3 More Schreier, Karen E. S Dakota 1 3 More Varlan, Thomas A. Tenn, E 1 3 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 1 3 More Scholer, Karen Gren Texas, N 1 3 More Ellison, Keith P. Texas, S 1 3 More Saldana, Diana Texas, S 1 3 More Olvera, Jose Rolando, Jr. Texas, S 1 3 More Briones, David Texas, W 1 3 More Guaderrama, David C. Texas, W 1 3 More Pitman, Robert Texas, W 1 3 More Bailey, John Preston W Virg, N 1 3 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
All 28 of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of government regulatory convictions. (Because of ties, there were a total of 28 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judges Aida M. Delgado-Colon in the District of Puerto Rico and Fernando Rodriguez, Jr. in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 1st with 2 convicted in government regulatory convictions.
Judges Percy Anderson in the Central District of California (Los Angeles), George H. Wu in the Central District of California (Los Angeles), John Arnold Kronstadt in the Central District of California (Los Angeles), Cynthia Ann Bashant in the Southern District of California (San Diego), Timothy J. Corrigan in the Middle District of Florida (Tampa), Donald M. Middlebrooks in the Southern District of Florida (Miami), Leigh Martin May in the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta), Eleanor Louise Ross in t ranked 3rd with 1 convicted in government regulatory convictions.
Report Generated: April 3, 2024
