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# Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-trafficking-sentences-district-of-maryland/
- Published: 2026-11-04T11:01:32.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-04T11:01:32.000Z
- Description: Drug trafficking was the largest offense type in the District of Maryland in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. It accounted for 1,846 people, or 31% of the 6,044 sentenced in the district. The median prison term was 60 months, the same as for drug trafficking in all 94 federal districts.
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Federal Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-district-of-maryland/) › Drug Trafficking: District of Maryland

**In brief:** Drug trafficking was the largest offense type in the District of Maryland in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. It accounted for 1,846 people, or 31% of the 6,044 sentenced in the district. The median prison term was 60 months, the same as for drug trafficking in all 94 federal districts.

Updated November 4, 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 1,846 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/).

## Drug Trafficking in the District's Caseload

Of the 6,044 people sentenced in the District of Maryland in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 1,846 (31%) were in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Drug Trafficking" offense type. Fiscal years 2016 to 2019 had 967 of those people, and fiscal years 2020 to 2025 had 879.

Nearly all of them were charged under one guideline. It is §2D1.1 (Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, or Trafficking (Including Possession with Intent to Commit These Offenses)), with 1,820 people. 3 people each had §2D1.2 (Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals) and §2D1.8 (Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment).

## Prison Terms

Of the 1,846 people, 1,801 (98%) received a prison term, and 17 (less than 1%) received probation only. One person received a life sentence.

The median prison term was 60 months (5 years). A quarter received 96 months or more, and a quarter received 30 months or less. For drug trafficking in all 94 districts, the median was also 60 months, and 96% were sent to prison. For all offenses in the District of Maryland, the median was 48 months.

## Most Sentences Were Below the Guideline Range

The largest group, 1,117 people (61%), was sentenced below the guideline range at the government's request. Another 229 (12%) were below it without a government request. Within the range were 410 (22%), and 90 (5%) were above it.

For drug trafficking in all 94 districts, 32% of sentences were within the range. For all offenses in this district, the figure was 31%. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 1,045 of the 1,843 people with that information recorded (57%).

## Pleas and Trials

A total of 1,798 of the 1,846 people (97%) pleaded guilty, and 48 were convicted after a trial. In all 94 districts, 98% of drug trafficking cases ended in a guilty plea. In all offenses in this district, the figure was 95%.

The median prison term was 60 months after a guilty plea and 168 months after a trial. The trial figure is based on 48 people. Among guilty pleas, 99% had a written plea agreement.

## Supervised Release, Fines, and Criminal History

After prison, 1,794 people (97%) were ordered to serve supervised release. The median term was 48 months. A fine was ordered for 10 people (less than 1%), and restitution for 18 (less than 1%).

In criminal history, 30% were in the lowest category and 21% in the highest. Court-martial records have no criminal history field.

## Changes From Year to Year

The yearly table shows the number of people ranging from 271 in fiscal year 2018 to 98 in fiscal year 2024\. The median prison term was 60 months in each year from 2016 to 2022\. It was 51.5 months in 2023, 45 months in 2024, and 55.5 months in 2025.

The medians for 2023 to 2025 are lower than the 60 months shown for earlier years. The records cannot show the reason for the change, and the latest years may be too early to read as a trend. Fiscal years begin October 1 and end September 30.

| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| 2016        | 233              | 60 months     | 97%            |
| 2017        | 220              | 60 months     | 97%            |
| 2018        | 271              | 60 months     | 97%            |
| 2019        | 243              | 60 months     | 98%            |
| 2020        | 156              | 60 months     | 97%            |
| 2021        | 201              | 60 months     | more than 99%  |
| 2022        | 180              | 60 months     | 98%            |
| 2023        | 144              | 51.5 months   | 94%            |
| 2024        | 98               | 45 months     | 100%           |
| 2025        | 100              | 55.5 months   | 97%            |

## What the Numbers Leave Out

The data counts only people who were convicted and sentenced, and each prison term is the sentence imposed rather than time served. Drug type and amounts are not part of these figures.

Fort Meade, Maryland, and Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, are in this district. Courts-martial are tried in military courts, not in this federal district court, and these federal cases are not tied to either installation.

### How We Counted

Everyone sentenced in federal court in the District of Maryland (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Maryland") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Drug Trafficking" (1,846). 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)
- [Federal Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-district-of-maryland/) (overview)
- [Federal Firearms Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-firearms-sentences-district-of-maryland/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-fraud-theft-embezzlement-sentences-district-of-maryland/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-immigration-sentences-district-of-maryland/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Robbery Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-robbery-sentences-district-of-maryland/) (same district, other offense type)
- [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.