> ## 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: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-marine-corps/ - Published: 2026-11-03T01:39:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T01:39:15.000Z - Description: Marine Corps records show the highest guilty plea share of any service for sexual offenses against a child: 111 of 117 convictions with a plea recorded (95%). The median confinement was 36 months (3 years) across 135 convictions. The federal median prison term was 120 months (10 years), and the fede - 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: Marine Corps **In brief:** Marine Corps records show the highest guilty plea share of any service for sexual offenses against a child: 111 of 117 convictions with a plea recorded (95%). The median confinement was 36 months (3 years) across 135 convictions. The federal median prison term was 120 months (10 years), and the federal guilty plea share was 87%. Updated November 2, 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 4,971 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/). ## How Common Were Guilty Pleas in the Marine Corps? Of the 135 Marine Corps convictions, 117 had a plea recorded, and 111 of those (95%) were guilty pleas. In federal court, 4,339 of 4,971 people (87%) pleaded guilty. Nearly all the Marine Corps convictions followed a guilty plea. The 135 convictions have trial dates from 2017 to 2025. ## How Reliable Is the Comparison of Contested Cases? Median confinement after a guilty plea was 36 months, based on 110 cases. In contested cases that ended in conviction it was also 36 months, but that figure rests on only 5 cases. A median from 5 cases can move a great deal with one more case. The Marine Corps numbers on contested convictions should not be read as a pattern. Federal court has far more cases on both paths. The median prison term was 120 months after a guilty plea and 235 months after a trial, which covered 632 people. ## What Were the Sentences and Discharges? 133 of the 135 convictions (99%) included confinement. A quarter of sentences were 95.9 months or more. Of the 130 enlisted members convicted, 129 received a punitive discharge (more than 99%). That was 100 dishonorable discharges and 29 bad-conduct discharges. 4 officers were convicted, and all 4 were dismissed. 127 of the 135 convictions (94%) were at a general court-martial. ## Did Confinement Change Between Periods? The median confinement for trials in 2016 to 2019 was 25.5 months, based on 62 cases with confinement. For trials in 2020 to 2025, it was 36 months, based on 71 cases. The median is higher in the later period. The records cannot show whether anything specific accounts for that difference. ## How Do the Marine Corps and Federal Court Compare? The federal group is much larger: 4,971 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 for enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor, plus certain sexual abuse cases that carried a child-victim statute. More than 99% received prison. A quarter of federal prison terms were 180 months or more, compared with 95.9 months or more in the Marine Corps. 126 federal defendants received a life sentence. A mandatory minimum applied to 60% of the federal group. | | Marine Corps courts-martial | Federal court, FY2016–FY2025 | | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | | Convictions or people sentenced | 135 | 4,971 | | Sentenced to confinement or prison | 99% | more than 99% | | Median confinement or prison | 36 months | 120 months | | A quarter received this or more | 95.9 months | 180 months | | Pleaded guilty | 111 of 117 with a plea recorded (95%) | 87% | | Mandatory minimum applied | See the caveats | 60% | ## How Does the Marine Corps Rank Among the Services? The Marine Corps share with confinement, 99%, was the highest among the services. Its median of 36 months matched the Air Force and the Navy, and the Army median was 45 months. The Marine Corps had 135 convictions. The Army had 172, the Air Force 181, and the Navy 117. | Service | Convictions, 2016–2025 | With confinement | Median confinement | Punitive discharge (enlisted) | Guilty pleas (where recorded) | | ------------ | ---------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------- | ----------------------------- | | Army | 172 | 97% | 45 months | 95% | 69% | | Air Force | 181 | 96% | 36 months | 97% | 40% | | Navy | 117 | 94% | 36 months | 95% | 68% | | Marine Corps | 135 | 99% | 36 months | more than 99% | 95% | ## What Are the Limits of the Records? Court-martial sentences are as adjudged at trial, before clemency or appeal, and federal terms are those imposed rather than served. The court-martial data list no mandatory minimums and no case facts. The comparison describes patterns in separate record sets and does not predict any single result. ### How We Counted Marine Corps courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 ending in a conviction for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b; federal child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses) (135). Federal: 4,971 people sentenced under guideline §2G1.3 (enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor) plus §2A3.1 to §2A3.4 cases with a child-victim statute, fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (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. **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. **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. **Federal supervised release.** Most federal prison sentences are followed by a term of supervised release that the judge sets as part of the sentence. A person who violates it can be sent back to prison. A court-martial cannot sentence anyone to supervision after release. Military parole and mandatory supervised release are decided later by a board, not by the judge at trial. **Who decides the sentence, and under what rules.** Federal judges sentence every federal case. They must calculate the Sentencing Guidelines range, which is advisory, and must impose any mandatory minimum the statute requires unless an exception applies. In courts-martial, the accused could choose sentencing by members until the rules changed. For cases in which every guilty finding is for an offense committed after December 27, 2023, a military judge sentences alone, within sentencing parameters. Courts-martial tried in 2024 and later include both old-rule and new-rule cases, and the data cannot tell them apart. **How life sentences and "time served" are counted.** In the federal numbers, a life sentence is counted as 470 months, and any other sentence longer than 470 months is counted as just under 470 months. A sentence of "time served" is counted as one day (0.03 months). Averages are affected by these rules; medians much less. ## 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: 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. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-vs-navy/) - [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: 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: How Often Federal Trials and Courts-Martial End in Acquittal](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-acquittal-rate-vs-courts-martial/) - [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) - [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.