Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Cases vs. Article 120b Courts-Martial
The median adjudged confinement for an Article 120b conviction was 36 months (3 years), for 605 convictions with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median federal prison term for child sexual abuse and enticement offenses was 120 months (10 years), for 4,971 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 11 min read
Trends › Federal Prosecution Analysis › Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement
In brief: The median adjudged confinement for an Article 120b conviction was 36 months (3 years), for 605 convictions with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median federal prison term for child sexual abuse and enticement offenses was 120 months (10 years), for 4,971 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Federal terms were higher, and the groups do not match offense for offense.
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 series, which builds on Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System. How the numbers were built: How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built.
How Long Were the Sentences?
Of the 605 court-martial convictions, 582 with a sentence recorded (96%) included confinement. The median adjudged confinement was 36 months, and a quarter received 107.9 months or more. A total of 2 received confinement for life.
In federal court, 4,940 of 4,971 people (more than 99%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 120 months. A quarter received 180 months or more, and a quarter received 72 months or less. A total of 126 received a life sentence.
The federal median is higher than the court-martial median. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 2,960 federal defendants (60%).
| Courts-martial, 2016–2025 | Federal court, FY2016–FY2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Convictions or people sentenced | 605 | 4,971 |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 96% | more than 99% |
| Median confinement or prison | 36 months | 120 months |
| A quarter received this or more | 107.9 months | 180 months |
| Pleaded guilty | 354 of 518 with a plea recorded (68%) | 87% |
| Mandatory minimum applied | See the caveats | 60% |
What Does Each Side Count?
The court-martial group is convictions for sexual offenses against a child under Article 120b, with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. Court-martial sentences are as adjudged at trial, before any clemency or appeal.
The federal group combines kinds of cases sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. One kind is guideline §2G1.3, which covers enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor: 3,908 people. The other kind is hands-on child sexual abuse cases with a child-victim statute under §2A3.1 to §2A3.4: 1,063 people.
Article 120b does not match either federal category exactly. It covers sexual acts with a child, and the federal group also includes enticement and travel offenses. The federal data counts only people who were convicted and sentenced, and the prison terms are the terms imposed, not time served.
Guilty Pleas and Trials
In federal court, 4,339 of 4,971 people (87%) pleaded guilty, and 632 were convicted after a trial. Among the guilty pleas, 90% had a written plea agreement and 9% were straight pleas with no agreement.
The median federal prison term was 120 months after a guilty plea and 235 months after a trial.
At courts-martial, 354 of 518 convictions with a plea recorded (68%) were guilty pleas. The median confinement after a guilty plea was 36 months, based on 350 cases with confinement. In contested cases ending in conviction it was 48 months, based on 143 cases. Contested convictions had a higher median than guilty pleas in both systems.
Discharges and Court-Martial Level
Of the 576 enlisted members convicted, 556 received a punitive discharge (97%): 430 dishonorable discharges and 126 bad-conduct discharges. Among the officers, 28 were convicted and 27 were dismissed.
Also, 586 of the 605 convictions (97%) were at a general court-martial. By service, the convictions were Army 172, Air Force 181, Navy 117, and Marine Corps 135.
The median confinement was 45 months in the Army and 36 months in each of the other services. Guilty pleas where recorded were 40% in the Air Force and 95% in the Marine Corps.
| 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% |
How Federal Sentences Related to the Guidelines
Federal sentencing guidelines give a recommended range. Of 4,969 people with the information, 46% were sentenced within the range (2,296), 26% below the range at the government's request (1,286), 21% below the range without a government request (1,038), and 7% above the range (349).
Supervised release after prison was ordered for 4,918 people (99%). The median term was 120 months, and 982 (20%) received supervised release for life. A fine was ordered for 281 (6%), and restitution for 1,025 (21%).
Changes Over Time
The federal median prison term was 120 months in nearly every fiscal year from 2016 to 2025, and 121 months in 2024. The number sentenced each year ranged from 386 in 2020 to 607 in 2022. The guilty plea share ranged from 83% in 2023 to 90% in 2017, 2018, and 2025.
The court-martial median for trials in 2016 to 2019 was 36 months, based on 226 cases with confinement. For trials in 2020 to 2025 it was 40.7 months, based on 354 cases. The records cannot show whether this difference reflects any change in the cases or in sentencing.
| 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 the Records Cannot Show
The court-martial records have no criminal history field. In the federal data, 62% were in the lowest criminal history category and 4% in the highest.
The records do not describe the conduct in any case or show time served. They cannot show whether the difference in medians comes from the mix of offenses, the law, or the way each system sentences. Because the federal group includes enticement and travel offenses, the comparison is a general one and does not match case against case.
How We Counted
Courts-martial: convictions for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b; federal child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses) with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 (605). Federal: everyone sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 under guideline §2G1.3 (enticement, transportation, and travel offenses involving a minor) plus §2A3.1 to §2A3.4 cases with a child-victim statute (4,971), U.S. Sentencing Commission individual data files.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More Detail
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement, year by year: 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025.
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement, by installation: Bremerton · Camp Lejeune · Camp Pendleton · Fort Bragg · Fort Drum · Fort Hood · Fort Polk · Fort Stewart · Jacksonville · Joint Base Lewis-McChord · Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam · Marine Corps Base Hawaii · Norfolk · San Diego · Washington Navy Yard.
Related Analysis
- Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System (the background article)
- Federal Prosecution Analysis (all federal posts)
- How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built (sources and method)
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences Since the 2023 Military Sentencing Reform: What the Data Shows So Far
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Army Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: How Often Federal Trials and Courts-Martial End in Acquittal
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Marine Corps Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Navy Courts-Martial
- Guilty Pleas in Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
- Are Courts-Martial More Likely to End in Acquittal Than Federal Trials?
- Guilty Pleas in Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, Year by Year
- Child Pornography Sentences: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
- Federal Law Has No Crime of Drug Use: How Article 112a Cases Compare
- Drug Distribution and Importation: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences, 2016–2025
- Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 Courts-Martial
- Theft and Fraud by Dollar Loss: Federal Sentences vs. Article 121 Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial
- Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
- Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Army Courts-Martial, 2021–2025 (court-martial data)
- How Much Confinement for an Article 120b Conviction in the Army? (court-martial data)
- How Often Are Contested Army Article 120b Cases Acquitted? (court-martial data)
- Pleading Guilty to Article 120b in the Army: What Sentences Followed? (court-martial data)
- How Has Article 120b Changed in Air Force Courts-Martial Since 2016? (court-martial data)
- How Much Confinement for an Article 120b Conviction in the Air Force? (court-martial data)
- Guilty Pleas in Air Force Child Sexual Abuse Cases: How Often, and What Came Next (court-martial data)
- Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025 (court-martial data)
- What Sentence Follows a Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Conviction? (court-martial data)
- Fighting a Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Charge: How Contested Cases Ended (court-martial data)
- Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Cases: How Often, and What Came Next (court-martial data)
- Article 120b (Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child): Court-Martial Data and Trends (court-martial data)
- Article 120b UCMJ: Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child (law firm reference page)
- U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles (source)
- Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants) (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. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.