> ## 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 Use: Courts-Martial at Dyess AFB vs. Federal Court in the Northern District of Texas
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-dyess-afb-vs-northern-district-of-texas/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:10:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:10:39.000Z
- Description: The median sentence was 3 months of confinement for the 32 wrongful drug use convictions at courts-martial tried at Dyess AFB, Texas. In the Northern District of Texas, the median prison term for simple possession was 6 months among the 20 people sent to prison, out of 31 sentenced. The federal peop
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Federal Law Has No Crime of Drug Use](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-no-crime-of-drug-use-article-112a/) › Drug Use: Dyess AFB

**In brief:** The median sentence was 3 months of confinement for the 32 wrongful drug use convictions at courts-martial tried at Dyess AFB, Texas. In the Northern District of Texas, the median prison term for simple possession was 6 months among the 20 people sent to prison, out of 31 sentenced. The federal people were sentenced anywhere in the district, and most were not 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 31 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/).

## Similar Group Sizes, Different Sources

The 2 groups in this post are close in size: 32 court-martial convictions and 31 people sentenced in federal court. They are not drawn from the same place.

The court-martial convictions are those where the records list the trial location as "Dyess AFB, Texas". All 32 were Air Force cases, with trial dates from 2016 to 2022\. The federal group is everyone sentenced under 21 U.S.C. 844 in the Northern District of Texas, where Dyess AFB is located, in fiscal years 2016 to 2025.

Simple possession is the nearest federal charge to Article 112a drug use. Court-martial years are counted by trial date. Federal fiscal years begin on October 1 and end on September 30.

## Which Side Imposed Confinement More Often?

Confinement was more common at Dyess. Of the 32 convictions with a sentence recorded, 29 (91%) included confinement. In the district, 20 of the 31 people (65%) received a prison term, and 11 (35%) received probation only.

The terms themselves were longer on the federal side. The Dyess median was 3 months, and a quarter received 3.6 months or more. The federal median was 6 months, and a quarter received 7.2 months or more. Another quarter of the federal group sent to prison received 0 months.

|                                    | Courts-martial at Dyess AFB         | Federal court, Northern District of Texas |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Convictions or people sentenced    | 32                                  | 31                                        |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 91%                                 | 65%                                       |
| Median confinement or prison       | 3 months                            | 6 months                                  |
| A quarter received this or more    | 3.6 months                          | 7.2 months                                |
| Pleaded guilty                     | 10 of 17 with a plea recorded (59%) | 100%                                      |
| Mandatory minimum applied          | See the caveats                     | 1 of 31 with the information (3%)         |

## Discharges and Court Level

Of the 31 enlisted members convicted at Dyess, 10 received a punitive discharge (32%). All 10 were bad-conduct discharges. The 1 officer convicted was not dismissed.

Only 2 of the 32 convictions (6%) were at a general court-martial.

## Pleas at Dyess and in the District

A plea was recorded for 17 Dyess convictions, and 10 of them (59%) were guilty pleas. The median confinement was 3 months after a guilty plea (9 cases with confinement). It was also 3 months in contested cases ending in conviction (5 cases).

All 31 federal defendants (100%) pleaded guilty, and none was convicted after a trial. Of those guilty pleas, 97% had a written plea agreement and 3% were straight pleas.

By trial period, the Dyess median confinement was 3 months for 2016 to 2019 (17 cases) and 2.8 months for 2020 to 2025 (12 cases). These figures are about the same.

## Federal Sentencing Details

For 30 people, the records show where the sentence fell against the guideline range. Within the range were 80% (24). Below it without a government request were 7% (2), and above it were 13% (4). None was below the range at the government's request.

Supervised release after prison was ordered for 16 people (52%), with a median term of 12 months. A fine was ordered for 15 (48%), and restitution for 1 (3%). A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 1 person (3%).

In this group, 63% were in the lowest criminal history category, category I, and 13% were in the highest, category VI. Court-martial records have no criminal history field.

## Across All Courts-Martial and All Districts

All courts-martial for this offense in the data produced 1,071 convictions, with a median confinement of 3 months, the same as at Dyess. Across all federal districts, 6,268 people were sentenced for simple possession, with a median prison term of 6 months, the same as in the Northern District of Texas.

## What Remains Unknown

Court-martial sentences are counted as adjudged, before clemency or appeal. Federal prison terms are as imposed, not time served. The records do not show the drug, the facts, or the reasons behind any sentence. They cannot show what a Dyess case would have received in the district court, and groups this small can shift with a few cases.

### How We Counted

Courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 whose recorded trial location is Dyess AFB, Texas, ending in a conviction for wrongful drug use (Article 112a), compared with federal simple possession, the nearest federal charge (32). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 in the Northern District of Texas (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Texas North") under a conviction under 21 U.S.C. 844 (simple possession), the nearest federal charge (31). 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.

**Drug use has no federal counterpart.** Federal law does not make drug use a crime. A positive drug test is not a federal offense; a civilian can be charged only with possessing the drug. Bringing drugs onto a military installation is also a military-only offense. For these, the nearest federal charge is simple possession, and the post says that the match is not exact.

## 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 Law Has No Crime of Drug Use: How Article 112a Cases Compare](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-no-crime-of-drug-use-article-112a/) (overview)
- [Federal Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-northern-district-of-texas/) (the federal district)
- [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Barksdale AFB vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Louisiana](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-barksdale-afb-vs-western-district-of-louisiana/) (other installations)
- [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Beale AFB vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of California](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-beale-afb-vs-eastern-district-of-california/) (other installations)
- [Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Bremerton vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-bremerton-vs-western-district-of-washington/) (other installations)
- [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/) (other installations)
- [Drug Use: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-vs-air-force/)
- [Drug Use: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-vs-army/)
- [Drug Use: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-use-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.