> ## 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 Sentences in 2017: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2017/ - Published: 2026-11-03T06:09:51.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T06:09:51.000Z - Description: In 2017, 36 of the 48 court-martial convictions for child sexual offenses with a plea recorded (75%) were guilty pleas, and the median adjudged confinement for all 69 convictions was 36 months (3 years). Federal court sentenced 494 people for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offense - 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: 2017 **In brief:** In 2017, 36 of the 48 court-martial convictions for child sexual offenses with a plea recorded (75%) were guilty pleas, and the median adjudged confinement for all 69 convictions was 36 months (3 years). Federal court sentenced 494 people for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal year 2017; 90% pleaded guilty, and the median prison term was 120 months (10 years). 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 494 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2017, 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/). ## Guilty Pleas Were Common in Both Systems Most people convicted in 2017 pleaded guilty, in either system. At courts-martial, 36 of 48 convictions with a plea recorded were guilty pleas (75%). Some convictions had no plea in the records, so the rate rests on 48 cases, not 69. In federal court, 444 of 494 people sentenced (90%) pleaded guilty, and 50 were convicted after a trial. Among the federal guilty pleas, 91% had a written plea agreement and 9% were straight pleas with no agreement. ## Sentence Lengths After a Plea and After a Trial At courts-martial, the median confinement after a guilty plea was 36 months, across 36 cases with confinement. Contested cases that ended in conviction had a median of 48 months, across 11 cases with confinement. The contested group is small, so a single year of it says little on its own. In federal court the median prison term after a guilty plea was 120 months. After a trial it was 251 months, based on 50 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. ## How Long Were the 2017 Sentences? Of the 69 court-martial convictions, 68 with a sentence recorded included confinement (99%). The median was 36 months, and a quarter received 95.9 months or more. Federal judges sent 489 of the 494 people to prison (99%). Only 1 received probation only. The median prison term was 120 months, a quarter received 180 months or more, and a quarter received 63 months or less. 9 people received a life sentence. These are not measured at the same point. Court-martial sentences are as adjudged at trial, before clemency or appeal, and federal prison terms are the terms imposed, not time served. | | Courts-martial, 2017 | Federal court, FY2017 | | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | Convictions or people sentenced | 69 | 494 | | Sentenced to confinement or prison | 99% | 99% | | Median confinement or prison | 36 months | 120 months | | A quarter received this or more | 95.9 months | 180 months | | Pleaded guilty | 36 of 48 with a plea recorded (75%) | 90% | | Mandatory minimum applied | See the caveats | 286 of 492 with the information (58%) | ## Which Services and Which Years The 2017 court-martial count splits fairly evenly: Air Force 24, Navy 22, and Marine Corps 23\. There are no Army cases, because Army records in this data start in 2020. Court-martial years here are calendar years by trial date. Federal fiscal year 2017 ran from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017\. The military and federal counts therefore overlap for only part of the year. ## Discharge From the Service Of the 64 enlisted members convicted, 63 received a punitive discharge (98%). That was 49 dishonorable discharges and 14 bad-conduct discharges. All 5 officers convicted were dismissed. 68 of the 69 convictions were at a general court-martial, the highest level of military trial. ## Other Parts of the Federal Sentence A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 286 people (58%). The sentence was within the guideline range for 44%, below the range at the government's request for 30%, below it without a government request for 21%, and above it for 5%. Supervised release followed prison for 487 people (99%). The median supervised release term in fiscal year 2017 was 60 months, and 90 people (18%) received it for life. Fines were ordered for 23 (5%), and restitution for 91 (18%). In criminal history, 52% were in category I and 6% were in category VI. Court-martial records do not track criminal history. ## Where 2017 Falls in the Series For all trial years from 2016 to 2025, the 605 court-martial convictions had a median confinement of 36 months, the same as the 2017 median. The 4,971 federal sentences from fiscal years 2016 to 2025 had a median prison term of 120 months. The table below lists each fiscal year. | Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | 2016 | 503 | 120 months | 86% | | 2017 | 494 | 120 months | 90% | | 2018 | 499 | 120 months | 90% | | 2019 | 495 | 120 months | 89% | | 2020 | 386 | 120 months | 87% | | 2021 | 429 | 120 months | 89% | | 2022 | 607 | 120 months | 86% | | 2023 | 546 | 120 months | 83% | | 2024 | 544 | 121 months | 85% | | 2025 | 468 | 120 months | 90% | ## What These Numbers Leave Out A conviction count and a count of people sentenced are not the same measure, and the offense groups do not match exactly. Neither source records why a sentence was chosen, what evidence was presented, or what happened after appeal or release. ### How We Counted Courts-martial with a trial date in 2017 ending in a conviction for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b; federal child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses) (69). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal year 2017 under guideline §2G1.3 (enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor) plus §2A3.1 to §2A3.4 cases with a child-victim statute (494), U.S. Sentencing Commission. 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) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2016: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2016/) (previous or next year) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2018: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2018/) (previous or next year) - [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: 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/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-navy/) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) - [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/) - [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/) - [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.