> ## 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. # Drug Distribution: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/ - Published: 2026-11-03T06:10:51.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T06:10:51.000Z - Description: Courts-martial at Camp Lejeune produced 30 drug distribution convictions with trial dates from 2017 to 2024, all in the Marine Corps, and the median adjudged confinement was 10 months. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 2,674 people were sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking withou - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Drug Distribution and Importation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-importation-vs-article-112a/) › Drug Distribution: Camp Lejeune **In brief:** Courts-martial at Camp Lejeune produced 30 drug distribution convictions with trial dates from 2017 to 2024, all in the Marine Corps, and the median adjudged confinement was 10 months. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 2,674 people were sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking without an import statute in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 87 months (7.2 years). The federal count covers the whole district, and most of those cases did not involve service members. 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 2,674 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/). ## Different Groups of Cases Camp Lejeune, North Carolina is located in the federal Eastern District of North Carolina. The federal numbers in this post come from every drug trafficking case sentenced in that district. They are not cases from the base, and most of them did not involve service members. On the military side, the records list the trial location as "Camp Lejeune", "Camp Lejeune, North Carolina", or "Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune". The offense is Article 112a wrongful distribution. On the federal side, the cases were sentenced under primary guideline §2D1.1 without an import statute, mostly under 21 U.S.C. 841 and 846\. Neither record shows which court would have heard any given case. ## Confinement and Prison Terms Side by Side Of the 30 Camp Lejeune convictions with a sentence recorded, 28 (93%) included confinement. The median adjudged confinement was 10 months, and a quarter received 14.2 months or more. Across all courts-martial for this offense in the data, 408 convictions had a median confinement of 4.9 months, so the Camp Lejeune median was higher. In the district, 2,611 of the 2,674 people sentenced (98%) received a prison term, and 55 (2%) received probation only. Among those sent to prison, a quarter received 140 months or more and a quarter received 54 months or less. 5 people received a life sentence. The district median of 87 months was higher than the 65-month median for all 160,460 people sentenced in all federal districts. Court-martial sentences here are as adjudged at trial, before any clemency or appeal. Federal terms are those imposed by the judge, not the time actually served. | | Courts-martial at Camp Lejeune | Federal court, Eastern District of North Carolina | | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | Convictions or people sentenced | 30 | 2,674 | | Sentenced to confinement or prison | 93% | 98% | | Median confinement or prison | 10 months | 87 months | | A quarter received this or more | 14.2 months | 140 months | | Pleaded guilty | 27 of 30 with a plea recorded (90%) | 97% | | Mandatory minimum applied | See the caveats | 1,813 of 2,673 with the information (68%) | ## Punitive Discharges at Camp Lejeune All 27 enlisted members convicted received a punitive discharge (100%). Each of those 27 was a bad-conduct discharge, and none was a dishonorable discharge. The 1 officer convicted was dismissed, which is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge. 11 of the 30 convictions (37%) were at a general court-martial. Federal court has no equivalent to a discharge, so this part of the sentence has no federal counterpart. ## Guilty Pleas in Both Courts Of 30 convictions with a plea recorded, 27 (90%) were guilty pleas. Those guilty pleas had a median confinement of 10 months across 25 cases with confinement. The 3 contested cases ending in conviction with confinement had a median of 11 months. These contested numbers rest on very few cases. In federal court, 2,603 of 2,674 (97%) pleaded guilty, and 71 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 85.5 months after a guilty plea and 292 months after a trial. Among the guilty pleas, 89% had a written plea agreement and 11% were straight pleas with no agreement. ## Where Federal Sentences Fell Against the Guidelines A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 1,813 people in the district (68%). The table has no court-martial figure for this row and points to the caveats instead. All 2,674 sentences had a recorded position against the guideline range. The largest group, 43% (1,162), was below the range at the government's request. Another 40% (1,082) were within the range, 13% (359) were below the range without a government request, and 3% (71) were above it. After prison, 2,612 (98%) were ordered to serve supervised release, with a median term of 60 months. 14 people (less than 1%) received supervised release for life. A fine was ordered for 138 (5%), and restitution for 45 (2%). ## Earlier and Later Camp Lejeune Trials For trials in 2016 to 2019, the median confinement was 3.3 months, based on 3 cases with confinement. For trials in 2020 to 2025, it was 10 months across 25 cases. The earlier group is too small to support a trend, and the records do not show why sentences differed between the periods. ## Limits of These Records Military counts are by calendar year of trial. Federal fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30\. Federal records place 24% of the district's defendants in the lowest criminal history category, category I, and 19% in the highest, category VI. Court-martial records have no criminal history field, so prior records cannot be compared. The numbers describe sentences, not the facts of any case or the reasons behind them. ### How We Counted Courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 whose recorded trial location is Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, ending in a conviction for drug distribution (Article 112a wrongful distribution; federal drug trafficking without an import statute) (30). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 in the Eastern District of North Carolina (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "N Carolina East") under primary guideline §2D1.1 without an import statute (mostly 21 U.S.C. 841 and 846) (2,674). The installation is matched to the federal district for the county where it sits. 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) - [Drug Distribution and Importation: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-importation-vs-article-112a/) (overview) - [Federal Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (the federal district) - [Child Pornography: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [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/) (same installation) - [Drug Possession: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-possession-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [Theft and Fraud: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [Aggravated Assault: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-aggravated-assault-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (same installation) - [Drug Distribution: Courts-Martial at Camp Pendleton vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-camp-pendleton-vs-southern-district-of-california/) (other installations) - [Drug Distribution: Courts-Martial at Fort Bliss vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Texas](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-fort-bliss-vs-western-district-of-texas/) (other installations) - [Drug Distribution: Courts-Martial at Nellis AFB vs. Federal Court in the District of Nevada](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-nellis-afb-vs-district-of-nevada/) (other installations) - [Drug Distribution: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-vs-air-force/) - [Drug Distribution: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-vs-army/) - [Drug Distribution: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-vs-marine-corps/) - [Army Article 112a Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-112a-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [What Sentence Follows an Army Drug Conviction?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-112a-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [How Often Are Contested Army Article 112a Cases Acquitted?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-112a-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Guilty Pleas in Army Drug Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-112a-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Are Air Force Drug Courts-Martial Disappearing? Article 112a, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-112a-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [How Much Confinement for an Article 112a Conviction in the Air Force?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-112a-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Pleading Guilty to Article 112a in the Air Force: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-112a-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Is Navy-Marine Corps Drug Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 112a, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-112a-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [How Much Confinement for an Article 112a Conviction in the Navy-Marine Corps?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-112a-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Fighting a Navy-Marine Corps Drug Charge: How Contested Cases Ended](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-112a-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [When Navy-Marine Corps Accused Plead Guilty to Drug](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-112a-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Article 112a (Wrongful Use, Possession of Controlled Substances): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-112a-courts-martial/) (court-martial data) - [Article 112a UCMJ Drug Offenses and Positive Urinalysis](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/ucmj/article-112a-drug-offenses/?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.