> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bodiesburied.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Navy Courts-Martial - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-acquittal-rate-vs-navy/ - Published: 2026-11-03T01:38:46.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T01:38:46.000Z - Description: In the Navy, 18 of 55 contested courts-martial for sexual offenses against a child that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal (33%), and 5 (9%) were partial acquittals. In federal court, 6 of 245 trials ended in an acquittal (2%). Navy records usually do not show who decided guilt, which limit - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sexual-abuse-enticement-vs-article-120b/) › Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Navy Acquittals **In brief:** In the Navy, 18 of 55 contested courts-martial for sexual offenses against a child that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal (33%), and 5 (9%) were partial acquittals. In federal court, 6 of 245 trials ended in an acquittal (2%). Navy records usually do not show who decided guilt, which limits the breakdown. Updated November 2, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 · Military Trial Results This post uses the Federal Judicial Center's records of 3,131 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, compared with court-martial results from this site's Military Trial Results data (updated November 2, 2026). The series also draws on the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 659,036 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. It is part of the [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) series, which builds on [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/). How the numbers were built: [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/). ## How Many Contested Navy Cases Ended in a Full Acquittal? The Navy records cover contested courts-martial with trial dates from 2016 to 2025\. 55 reached a verdict, and 18 (33%) ended in a full acquittal. 5 (9%) were partial acquittals. A court-martial is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge, and a partial acquittal means not guilty of at least one charge but guilty of another. ## What Does Each Year Show for the Navy? The Navy counts were largest in the early years. In 2016, 3 of 5 contested cases ended in a full acquittal, and in 2018 it was 3 of 14\. In 2022 it was 4 of 5. In 2024 the Navy had 0 full acquittals in 3 cases, and in 2025 it had 0 in 2\. Each year holds few verdicts, so the percentages move easily and no trend can be drawn from them. | Year | Navy: full acquittals of contested cases | | ---- | ---------------------------------------- | | 2016 | 3 of 5 | | 2017 | 2 of 3 | | 2018 | 3 of 14 | | 2019 | 2 of 9 | | 2020 | 1 of 6 | | 2021 | 2 of 4 | | 2022 | 4 of 5 | | 2023 | 1 of 4 | | 2024 | 0 of 3 | | 2025 | 0 of 2 | ## Can the Navy Cases Be Split by Decision-Maker? Only partly. In 44 of the 55 cases no forum was listed, and 15 of those ended in a full acquittal (34%). Where a forum was listed, a judge alone decided 9 cases, with 3 full acquittals. Members decided 2 cases, with 0 full acquittals. Navy and Marine Corps records usually do not show who decided guilt, so these small groups should not be used to compare judges and members. ## What Does the Federal Record Show? The Federal Judicial Center counted 3,131 defendants charged under 18 U.S.C. 2422 or 2423, the enticement and travel statutes, whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. The group includes every defendant whose case ended, including dismissals and acquittals. 2,739 of them (87%) pleaded guilty, 147 (5%) had their cases dismissed, and 245 (8%) went to trial. 6 of the trials ended in an acquittal (2%). Jury trials numbered 227, with 6 acquittals (3%). Bench trials numbered 18, with 0 acquittals. 2,978 of the 3,131 defendants (95%) were convicted. ## How Should the Navy and Federal Numbers Be Read Together? The Navy rate is a share of contested cases that reached a verdict. The federal rate is a share of trials, and most federal cases never reach a trial. The Navy count of 55 is also small next to 245 federal trials. The Navy data covers Article 120b, while the federal data uses the enticement and travel statutes. Federal case data does not report partial acquittals separately, so the full acquittal rate is the fairer point of comparison. ## What Is Missing From the Records? The records do not show the reasons for any verdict, the evidence presented, or how cases were screened before trial. A federal felony needs a grand jury indictment, while a court-martial has no grand jury. The comparison counts outcomes. It does not measure how a particular accused person would fare. ### How We Counted Navy courts-martial charging sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b; federal child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses) with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 that were contested and reached a verdict (55). Federal: defendants charged under 18 U.S.C. 2422 or 2423 (enticement and travel) whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (3,131), Federal Judicial Center. Federal fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30\. No person, judge, or lawyer is identified in any of these records. ### What to Keep in Mind **Who is in each set of numbers.** The federal sentencing numbers come from the U.S. Sentencing Commission. They count only people who were convicted and sentenced in federal district court. People whose cases were dismissed or who were acquitted are not in them. The military numbers come from court-martial results, which include acquittals. To compare acquittal or dismissal rates, the federal side uses a different source: the Federal Judicial Center's case data, which counts every defendant whose case ended. **Different cases reach each system.** Federal prosecutors bring a narrow set of cases. In fiscal year 2024, immigration and drug trafficking cases were 59% of everyone sentenced in federal court (36,664 of 61,678). Many crimes that the military prosecutes, such as most assaults, most sexual assaults between adults, and drug use, are usually state crimes for civilians and reach federal court only in special situations, such as on federal land or in Indian Country. A federal case and a court-martial for the same crime can involve different kinds of facts. **Time periods.** Federal numbers are by federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), based on the sentencing date. The military numbers are by trial date. Neither source has the date of the offense, so a change in law shows up in either data set gradually. **Offense categories do not line up exactly.** Each comparison uses a federal offense group chosen to match the military article as closely as possible (see the crosswalk). Some matches are close; others are partial. The post says which federal guideline or statute was used and why it is not an exact match. **Mandatory minimum sentences.** Many federal statutes on drugs, images of child exploitation, child sex abuse, and firearms carry mandatory minimum prison terms. The UCMJ has mandatory minimums only for a few offenses (a dishonorable discharge or dismissal for rape and sexual assault, and life for premeditated murder). Federal sentences for these offenses are partly set by Congress, not by the judge. **How "plea" and "trial" are counted.** In the federal sentencing numbers, "trial" means the person was convicted after a trial, including people who pleaded guilty to some counts and went to trial on others. People acquitted at trial are not in these numbers at all (see "Who is in each set of numbers"). In the federal case data, the trial rate counts both convictions and acquittals at trial among all defendants whose cases ended, including dismissed cases. Military numbers count contested cases that reached a verdict. These denominators are not the same, and each post states the one it uses. ## Related Analysis - [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/) (the background article) - [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) (all federal posts) - [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/) (sources and method) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Cases vs. Article 120b Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sexual-abuse-enticement-vs-article-120b/) (overview) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-acquittal-rate-vs-army/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Marine Corps Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-acquittal-rate-vs-marine-corps/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences Since the 2023 Military Sentencing Reform: What the Data Shows So Far](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-2023-sentencing-reform-so-far/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: How Often Federal Trials and Courts-Martial End in Acquittal](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-acquittal-rate-vs-courts-martial/) - [Guilty Pleas in Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-guilty-plea-rate-vs-courts-martial/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-junior-enlisted-vs-federal-court/) - [Are Courts-Martial More Likely to End in Acquittal Than Federal Trials?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-trial-acquittal-rates-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Guilty Pleas in Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, Year by Year](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-guilty-plea-rates-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Child Pornography Sentences: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-sentences-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Federal Law Has No Crime of Drug Use: How Article 112a Cases Compare](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-no-crime-of-drug-use-article-112a/) (related comparison) - [Drug Distribution and Importation: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-importation-vs-article-112a/) (related comparison) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sexual-abuse-adult-vs-article-120/) (related comparison) - [Theft and Fraud by Dollar Loss: Federal Sentences vs. Article 121 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-dollar-loss-vs-article-121/) (related comparison) - [Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120b-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [What Sentence Follows a Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Conviction?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120b-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Fighting a Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Charge: How Contested Cases Ended](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120b-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120b-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120b (Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-120b-courts-martial/) (court-martial data) - [Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial: Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-courts-martial/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120b UCMJ: Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-120b/?ref=bodiesburied.com) (law firm reference page) - [Forum Selection](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/forum-selection/?ref=bodiesburied.com) (law firm reference page) - [U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles](https://www.ussc.gov/research/datafiles/commission-datafiles?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source) - [Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants)](https://www.fjc.gov/research/idb?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source) **About the author.** Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts *Where All The Bodies Are Buried* and runs the [Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/?ref=bodiesburied.com). This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.