> ## 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. # Federal Sentences in the Middle District of Florida, FY2016–2025 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-middle-district-of-florida/ - Published: 2026-11-03T06:11:14.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T06:11:14.000Z - Description: The Middle District of Florida sentenced 13,145 people in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term among those sent to prison was 57 months (4.8 years). For all 94 federal districts the median was 24 months. A mandatory minimum applied to 5,719 people (44%), and immigration cases made u - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › Middle District of Florida **In brief:** The Middle District of Florida sentenced 13,145 people in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term among those sent to prison was 57 months (4.8 years). For all 94 federal districts the median was 24 months. A mandatory minimum applied to 5,719 people (44%), and immigration cases made up 20% of the district's sentencings. Updated November 3, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 13,145 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. 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/). ## A 57-Month Median Prison Term 11,767 of the 13,145 people sentenced (90%) received a prison term. Nationally the share was 91%. Probation only, with no prison or other confinement, was ordered for 1,020 (8%). The median term for those sent to prison was 57 months. A quarter of prison terms were 120 months or more, and a quarter were 15 months or less. 60 people received a life sentence. Mandatory minimum prison terms applied to 44% of those sentenced. Prison terms in these records are the terms imposed, not time served. ## Drug Trafficking and Immigration Cases Drug trafficking was the largest offense type: 4,789 people (36%), with a median prison term of 97 months. Immigration was second, with 2,628 people (20%). Immigration cases had a short median prison term, 4.8 months, and more than 99% pleaded guilty. Fraud, theft, and embezzlement accounted for 1,849 (14%), with a median of 24 months. Firearms accounted for 1,525 (12%), with a median of 57 months. ## Sex Offenses, Robbery, and Money Laundering Child pornography (images of child exploitation) cases numbered 492 (4%), with a median prison term of 100 months. Sexual abuse cases numbered 391 (3%), with a median of 235 months, the longest in the table. Guilty pleas were less frequent in several of these groups. 83% of sexual abuse cases and 84% of money laundering cases ended in a guilty plea. Robbery had 268 people, a guilty-plea rate of 88%, and a median of 129 months. | Offense type | People sentenced | Share of district | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ------------------------ | ---------------- | ----------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | Drug Trafficking | 4,789 | 36% | 97 months | 96% | | Immigration | 2,628 | 20% | 4.8 months | more than 99% | | Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement | 1,849 | 14% | 24 months | 95% | | Firearms | 1,525 | 12% | 57 months | 92% | | Child Pornography | 492 | 4% | 100 months | 93% | | Sexual Abuse | 391 | 3% | 235 months | 83% | | Robbery | 268 | 2% | 129 months | 88% | | Money Laundering | 241 | 2% | 60 months | 84% | ## How Many Went to Trial? 12,471 people pleaded guilty, or 95%. That is lower than the 97% rate for all districts. 674 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term after a trial was 135 months, based on 646 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. After a guilty plea, the median was 52 months. The trial and plea groups were convicted of different offenses, so the comparison says little about the effect of trial alone. Among guilty pleas, 64% were under a written plea agreement and 36% were straight pleas with no agreement. ## Sentences and the Guideline Range Guideline information was available for 13,135 people. 47% (6,239) received a sentence within the range, about the same as the 48% share for all districts. 21% (2,700) were sentenced below the range at the government's request. 29% (3,850) were sentenced below it without a government request. 3% (346) were sentenced above it. ## Supervision, Restitution, and Criminal History Supervised release after prison was ordered for 10,788 people (82%), with a median term of 36 months. 266 (2%) received supervised release for life. Restitution was ordered for 2,870 (22%). A fine was ordered for 306 (2%). 55% of those sentenced were in criminal history category I, the lowest. 9% were in category VI, the highest. Court-martial records include no criminal history field. ## Year by Year in the Middle District 6,071 people were sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2019, and 7,074 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025\. The yearly median prison term was 70 months in both 2021 and 2022, and 46 months in 2025. Jacksonville, MacDill AFB, and Mayport are in this district. Courts-martial there are tried in military courts, not in the federal district court, and do not appear in these counts. | Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | 2016 | 1,415 | 60 months | 94% | | 2017 | 1,520 | 57 months | 94% | | 2018 | 1,542 | 57 months | 94% | | 2019 | 1,594 | 46 months | 95% | | 2020 | 1,222 | 41 months | 96% | | 2021 | 1,066 | 70 months | 96% | | 2022 | 1,018 | 70 months | 97% | | 2023 | 1,104 | 60 months | 93% | | 2024 | 1,136 | 60 months | 95% | | 2025 | 1,528 | 46 months | 96% | ## Beyond the Reach of the Data The Sentencing Commission tracks only people who were convicted and sentenced. Acquittals and dismissals are not part of it. The records cannot explain why the district's median prison term was higher than the national median. ### How We Counted Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Middle District of Florida (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Florida Mid") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (13,145). Offense types are the Commission's OFFGUIDE categories. 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 **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. **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. **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 Pornography: Courts-Martial at Mayport vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-mayport-vs-middle-district-of-florida/) (installation comparison) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Jacksonville vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-jacksonville-vs-middle-district-of-florida/) (installation comparison) - [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at MacDill AFB vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-macdill-afb-vs-middle-district-of-florida/) (installation comparison) - [Theft and Fraud: Courts-Martial at Jacksonville vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-jacksonville-vs-middle-district-of-florida/) (installation comparison) - [Theft and Fraud: Courts-Martial at Mayport vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-mayport-vs-middle-district-of-florida/) (installation comparison) - [How Often Federal Judges Sentence Outside the Guideline Range](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sentences-outside-guideline-range/) - [Mandatory Minimums: How Many Federal Sentences Are Set by Congress](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-mandatory-minimum-sentences/) - [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.