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# Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:10:28.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:10:28.000Z
- Description: Courts-martial tried at Bremerton, Washington, with trial dates from 2016 to 2024, produced 17 convictions under Article 120b for sexual offenses against a child, and the median adjudged confinement was 42 months (3.5 years). In federal court for the Western District of Washington, 58 people were se
- 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: Bremerton

**In brief:** Courts-martial tried at Bremerton, Washington, with trial dates from 2016 to 2024, produced 17 convictions under Article 120b for sexual offenses against a child, and the median adjudged confinement was 42 months (3.5 years). In federal court for the Western District of Washington, 58 people were sentenced for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, with a median prison term of 114 months (9.5 years). The federal group covers the whole district, and most of those cases did not involve service members.

Updated November 3, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 · Military Trial Results

This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 58 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, compared with court-martial results from this site's Military Trial Results data (updated November 2, 2026). Acquittals and dismissals come from a second source, the Federal Judicial Center's records of 753,808 federal defendants whose cases ended 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/).

## Which Cases Each Side Counts

Bremerton, Washington is in the federal Western District of Washington. The federal numbers below cover people sentenced anywhere in that district. They are not cases from the installation, and most of them did not involve service members.

The military side counts courts-martial where the records list the trial location as "Bremerton" or "Bremerton, Washington". All 17 convictions were Navy cases. The federal side counts people sentenced under guideline §2G1.3, which covers enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor, plus §2A3.1 to §2A3.4 cases with a child-victim statute.

The comparison places separate groups side by side. It does not match any federal case to any court-martial.

## Confinement and Discharges in the Bremerton Convictions

Of the 17 convictions with a sentence recorded, 13 (76%) included confinement. The median adjudged confinement was 42 months. A quarter of those convicted received 131.9 months or more.

All 17 convictions were at a general court-martial, the highest level of military trial court. Of the 17 enlisted members convicted, 15 (88%) received a punitive discharge. That count includes 12 dishonorable discharges and 3 bad-conduct discharges.

Court-martial sentences in these records are as adjudged at trial. They do not reflect later clemency or appeal.

|                                    | Courts-martial at Bremerton         | Federal court, Western District of Washington |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| Convictions or people sentenced    | 17                                  | 58                                            |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 76%                                 | 100%                                          |
| Median confinement or prison       | 42 months                           | 114 months                                    |
| A quarter received this or more    | 131.9 months                        | 141.8 months                                  |
| Pleaded guilty                     | 11 of 17 with a plea recorded (65%) | 88%                                           |
| Mandatory minimum applied          | See the caveats                     | 22 of 56 with the information (39%)           |

## How Did the Cases End: Pleas or Trials?

Of the 17 Bremerton convictions with a plea recorded, 11 (65%) were guilty pleas. The 10 guilty-plea cases with confinement had a median of 45 months. The 3 contested cases that ended in conviction and included confinement had a median of 12 months.

The contested figure rests on very few sentences. A single sentence can change a median built on 3 cases.

Federal guilty pleas were more common: 51 of 58 people (88%) pleaded guilty, and 7 were convicted after a trial. Each federal guilty plea in this group came with a written plea agreement. The median prison term was 97 months after a guilty plea and 276 months after a trial.

## Federal Sentences Against the Guideline Range

The federal sentencing guidelines give each case a recommended range. In the Western District of Washington, 50% of these sentences (29) were below the range at the government's request. Another 26% (15) were below the range without a government request. Sentences within the range made up 22% (13), and 1 sentence (2%) was above it.

All 58 people received a prison term, and 0 received probation only. A quarter received 141.8 months or more, and a quarter received 48 months or less. A life sentence was imposed on 1 person. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 22 people (39%).

Supervised release after prison was ordered for all 58, with a median term of 180 months. Of the 58, 10 people (17%) received supervised release for life. Restitution was ordered for 32 (55%), and a fine for 1 (2%).

## Earlier and Later Bremerton Trials

For Bremerton trials in 2016 to 2019, the median confinement was 45 months across 6 cases with confinement. For trials in 2020 to 2025, it was 24 months across 7 cases. Both groups are small, and the records cannot show why the medians differ.

Across all courts-martial in the data for this offense, there were 605 convictions and a median confinement of 36 months. Across all federal districts, 4,971 people were sentenced, with a median prison term of 120 months. The Bremerton median was higher than the all-court-martial figure, and the district median was lower than the all-district figure.

## What the Records Cannot Show

Federal prison terms are the terms imposed, not time served. Federal years are fiscal years, which run from October 1 to September 30, while the court-martial years follow the trial date.

In the district, 66% were in the lowest criminal history category, category I, and 0% were in the highest, category VI. Court-martial records have no criminal history field, so prior records cannot be compared. The records also do not describe the facts of any case or explain any single sentence.

### How We Counted

Courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 whose recorded trial location is Bremerton, Washington, ending in a conviction for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b; federal child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses) (17). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 in the Western District of Washington (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Washington West") under guideline §2G1.3 (enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor) plus §2A3.1 to §2A3.4 cases with a child-victim statute (58). The installation is matched to the federal district for the county where it sits.

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.

**No parole in federal prison; credit for good conduct.** Federal prison has no parole for crimes committed on or after November 1, 1987\. A federal prisoner can earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of the sentence the judge imposed, which is about 15%. Some federal prisoners can also earn First Step Act time credits, but many offenses make a person ineligible. The numbers in this post are the sentences judges imposed, not the time people actually served.

**Military confinement credit and parole.** For military sentences adjudged after 2004, good conduct time is 5 days for each month of confinement, about 16%. Military prisoners can also earn up to 8 more days a month for work and programs and up to 2 days a month for special acts, with a limit of 15 days a month in total. Military prisoners can be considered for parole by their service's clemency and parole board. The military numbers in this post are the confinement adjudged at trial, not the time served.

**Military sentences include punishments federal sentences do not.** A court-martial sentence can include a punitive discharge (bad-conduct discharge, dishonorable discharge, or dismissal for officers), reduction in rank, and forfeiture of pay. These have no federal counterpart. A comparison of months of confinement leaves them out. A short confinement term combined with a dishonorable discharge is a heavier sentence than the months alone show.

**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.

## 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)
- [Federal Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-western-district-of-washington/) (the federal district)
- [Child Pornography: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) (same installation)
- [Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) (same installation)
- [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) (same installation)
- [Theft and Fraud: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) (same installation)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (other installations)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Camp Pendleton vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-camp-pendleton-vs-southern-district-of-california/) (other installations)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Fort Bragg vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-fort-bragg-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (other installations)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-air-force/)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-army/)
- [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-marine-corps/)
- [Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Army Courts-Martial, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120b-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 120b Conviction in the Army?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120b-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Often Are Contested Army Article 120b Cases Acquitted?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120b-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 120b in the Army: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120b-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Has Article 120b Changed in Air Force Courts-Martial Since 2016?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120b-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 120b Conviction in the Air Force?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120b-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Guilty Pleas in Air Force Child Sexual Abuse Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120b-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [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)
- [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)
- [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.