National Internal Security/Terrorism Convictions for February 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during February 2024 the government reported 56 new national internal security/terrorism convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 107.4 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for national internal security/terrorism-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 up (93%). 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 435.1 percent from levels reported in 2019.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in National Internal Security/Terrorism Convictions
The increase from the levels five years ago in national internal security/terrorism convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of national internal security/terrorism 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 national internal security/terrorism, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within national internal security/terrorism are
Matters Relating to National Internal Security
International Terrorism Incidents Which Impact on U.S.
Domestic Terrorism
Terrorism Related Hoaxes
Terrorist Financing
Export Enforcement Terrorism Related
Anti-Terrorism/Environmental
Anti-Terrorism/Identity Theft
Anti-Terrorism/Immigration
Anti-Terrorism/OCDETF Drugs
Anti-Terrorism/Non-OCDETF Drugs
Anti-Terrorism/Violent Crime
Anti-Terrorism/All Others
National Security/Critical Infrastructure Protection
The largest number of convictions of these matters in February 2024 was for "Terrorism-Domestic", accounting for 75 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Internal Security Offenses" (14.3%), "Terrorism-Critical Infrastructure Protec" (3.6%), "Terrorism-International" (3.6%), "Terrorism-Related Export Enforcement" (3.6%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for national internal security/terrorism convictions in February 2024 was FBI accounting for 88 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of national internal security/terrorism convictions were: DHS (7% ), Commerce (2%), Defense (2%), Interior (2%). See Figure 3.
National Internal Security/Terrorism Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In February 2024, no defendants in national internal security/terrorism 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.
National Internal Security/Terrorism Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In February 2024, 56 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 national internal security/terrorism matters filed in U.S. District Court during February 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1752 - Temporary residence and office of President, etc. 27 1 1 - More 18 USC 231 - Civil Disorders 7 2 5 - More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 3 3 12 13 More 18 USC 1512 - Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant 3 3 7 - More 18 USC 875 - Interstate Communications 2 5 3 1 More 18 USC 2342 - Trafficking in contraband cigarettes Unlawful acts 2 5 22 - More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 1 7 - - More 13 USC 305 - Unlawful Export Information Activities 1 7 - - More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 1 7 7 - More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 1 7 - - More 18 USC 798 - Disclosure of classified information 1 7 - - More 18 USC 956 - Conspire to kill/kidnap/maim person or damage property foreign country 1 7 - - More 18 USC 1001 - Fraud/false statements or entries generally 1 7 12 8 More 18 USC 1366 - Destruction of an energy facility 1 7 - - More 18 USC 2332 - Terrorism - Criminal penalties 1 7 - - More 18 USC 2339 - Harboring or Concealing Terrorists 1 7 22 13 More 18 USC 2339B - Provide material support to foreign terrorist orgs 1 7 3 2 More 40 USC 5104 - Unlawful Activities 1 7 7 - More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Temporary residence and office of President, etc." (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1752) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Temporary residence and office of President, etc." (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1752) was ranked 1 a year ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Civil Disorders" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 231. "Civil Disorders" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 231 was ranked 5 a year ago.
Ranked 3rd were "Firearms; Unlawful acts" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 922 and "Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1512. "Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1512 was ranked 7 a year ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 1300 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 2342 that involves " Trafficking in contraband cigarettes Unlawful acts ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 400 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 50 percent — was " Fraud/false statements or entries generally " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1001 ). This was the same statute that had the largest decrease — 50 % — when compared with five years ago.
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In February 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 20.2 national internal security/terrorism convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of national internal security/terrorism 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 national internal security/terrorism convictions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago D. C. 6,788 38 1 1 8 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) — with 6788 convictions as compared with 20.2 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during February 2024. The District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 8 for most frequent use five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of national internal security/terrorism convictions compared to one year ago — 178.7 percent — was Washington, D.C. (Washington). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 10350 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 national internal security/terrorism crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during February 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Moss, Randolph Daniel D. C. 8 1 More Boasberg, James Emanuel D. C. 6 2 More Walton, Reggie B. D. C. 4 3 More Contreras, Rudolph D. C. 4 3 More Lamberth, Royce C. D. C. 3 5 More Bates, John D. D. C. 2 6 More Mehta, Amit Priyavadan D. C. 2 6 More Kelly, Timothy James D. C. 2 6 More Woods, Gregory Howard, III N. Y., S 2 6 More Lanza, Dominic William Arizona 1 10 More Curiel, Gonzalo Paul Cal, S 1 10 More Jackson, Amy Berman D. C. 1 10 More Cooper, Christopher Reid D. C. 1 10 More Dever, James C., III N Car, E 1 10 More Flanagan, Louise W. N Car, E 1 10 More Dlott, Susan J. Ohio, S 1 10 More Watson, Michael H. Ohio, S 1 10 More Slomsky, Joel Harvey Penn, E 1 10 More Hanks, George C., Jr. Texas, S 1 10 More Rodriguez, Xavier Texas, W 1 10 More Volk, Frank William W Virg, S 1 10 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 10 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of national internal security/terrorism convictions per capita, while the remaining 11 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 21 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Randolph Daniel Moss in the District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) ranked 1st with 8 convicted in national internal security/terrorism convictions.
Judge James Emanuel Boasberg in the District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) ranked 2nd with 6 convicted in national internal security/terrorism convictions.
Judges Reggie B. Walton in the District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) and Rudolph Contreras in the District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) ranked 3rd with 4 convicted in national internal security/terrorism convictions.
Report Generated: April 3, 2024
