> ## 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 Tennessee, FY2016–2025 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-middle-district-of-tennessee/ - Published: 2026-11-03T06:11:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T06:11:22.000Z - Description: Firearms was the largest offense type among the 2,879 people sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, at 29%, ahead of Drug Trafficking at 26%. The median prison term was 50 months (4.2 years), compared with 24 months for all 94 federal districts. Only 26% of sente - 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 Tennessee **In brief:** Firearms was the largest offense type among the 2,879 people sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, at 29%, ahead of Drug Trafficking at 26%. The median prison term was 50 months (4.2 years), compared with 24 months for all 94 federal districts. Only 26% of sentences were within the guideline range. 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 2,879 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/). ## Firearms Cases Ahead of Drug Cases 821 people were sentenced for Firearms offenses, with a median prison term of 50 months. 744 were sentenced for Drug Trafficking, with a median of 72 months. The district total of 2,879 covers all offense types. Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement accounted for 264 (9%). Immigration (179), Robbery (177), and the Commission's Other category (160) were each 6%. Robbery cases had a median of 84 months, and Assault cases a median of 100 months. | Offense type | People sentenced | Share of district | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ------------------------ | ---------------- | ----------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | Firearms | 821 | 29% | 50 months | 97% | | Drug Trafficking | 744 | 26% | 72 months | 97% | | Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement | 264 | 9% | 15 months | 95% | | Immigration | 179 | 6% | 8 months | more than 99% | | Robbery | 177 | 6% | 84 months | 95% | | Other | 160 | 6% | 0.2 months | 100% | | Money Laundering | 85 | 3% | 82 months | 84% | | Assault | 72 | 3% | 100 months | 90% | ## Where Did Sentences Fall Against the Guidelines? The Sentencing Guidelines produce an advisory range of months for each case. Of 2,769 sentences with a recorded position, 717 (26%) were within that range. For all districts, 48% were within the range. The most common position was below the range at the government's request: 1,228 sentences (44%). Another 744 (27%) were below the range without a government request, and 80 (3%) were above it. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 924 people. The records do not give reasons for where any sentence fell. ## Prison, Probation, and Supervision 2,617 people (91%) received a prison term, the same share as all districts. 221 (8%) received probation only. Among those sent to prison, a quarter received 100 months or more, and a quarter received 17 months or less. 9 received a life sentence. These are terms imposed in court, not time served. 2,365 people (82%) were ordered to serve supervised release after prison, with a median term of 36 months. 38 (1%) received it for life. Restitution was ordered for 485 (17%) and a fine for 269 (9%). ## Pleas and Trials 2,756 people (96%) pleaded guilty. 123 were convicted after a trial. Among guilty pleas, 91% had a written plea agreement, and 6% were straight pleas with no agreement. After a guilty plea, the median prison term was 48 months. After a trial, it was 168 months, based on 121 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. Cases that went to trial may have involved different charges, so the medians are not a measure of what a trial changes. The yearly table shows guilty-plea rates of 92% in 2024 and 93% in 2025. ## Criminal History Categories Federal sentencing places each person in a criminal history category based on prior convictions. 33% here were in category I, the lowest, and 23% were in category VI, the highest. Court-martial records have no criminal history field. ## Sentencing Totals by Fiscal Year 1,134 people were sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2019, and 1,745 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025\. The second period is longer. Yearly counts went from 220 in 2016 to 346 in 2025. The yearly median prison term was 35.5 months in 2016 and 60 months in each year from 2022 to 2025\. The data cannot explain these changes. | Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | 2016 | 220 | 35.5 months | 96% | | 2017 | 269 | 30 months | 98% | | 2018 | 321 | 41 months | 97% | | 2019 | 324 | 39 months | 95% | | 2020 | 235 | 50 months | 95% | | 2021 | 254 | 50 months | 98% | | 2022 | 289 | 60 months | 97% | | 2023 | 288 | 60 months | 97% | | 2024 | 333 | 60 months | 92% | | 2025 | 346 | 60 months | 93% | ## What Is Missing From These Records The Sentencing Commission includes only people convicted and sentenced. Acquittals and dismissals are not counted. Each year in this post is a federal fiscal year, running from October 1 to the end of September. ### How We Counted Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Middle District of Tennessee (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Tennessee Mid") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (2,879). 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) - [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.