> ## 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 Firearms Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-firearms-sentences-eastern-district-of-louisiana/
- Published: 2026-11-04T11:14:26.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-04T11:14:26.000Z
- Description: Firearms cases were 14% of the 2,953 people sentenced in the Eastern District of Louisiana in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, or 425 people. The median prison term was 60 months (5 years), compared with 42 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. Sentences were within the guideline range
- 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 Eastern District of Louisiana, FY20](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) › Firearms: Eastern District of Louisiana

**In brief:** Firearms cases were 14% of the 2,953 people sentenced in the Eastern District of Louisiana in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, or 425 people. The median prison term was 60 months (5 years), compared with 42 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. Sentences were within the guideline range for 74% of the group.

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 425 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/).

## Within the Range Far More Often Than Nationally

Sentences were within the guideline range for 315 of the 425 people, or 74%. In all 94 districts, 52% of sentences in this offense type were within the range. For all offenses in this district the figure was 56%.

Another 13% (54 people) were below the range without a government request, and 5% (21 people) were below it at the government's request. Sentences were above the range for 8% (35 people).

## How Long Were the Prison Terms?

Prison was ordered for 412 of 425 people (97%), and 6 people (1%) received probation only. Among those sent to prison, the median prison term was 60 months. A quarter received 96 months or more, and a quarter received 36 months or less.

The median prison term for all offenses in this district was 60 months, the same as for this group. In all 94 districts, 78,851 people were sentenced in this offense type, and 94% were sent to prison.

## Mandatory Minimums and Guidelines Used

A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 101 of 425 people, which is 24%.

The Commission places cases in this category by main sentencing guideline. In this district, 397 cases fell under §2K2.1 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Firearms or Ammunition). Another 3 fell under §2K1.3 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Explosive Materials).

## Pleas Without Written Agreements

Guilty pleas accounted for 418 of 425 people (98%), and 7 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term after a guilty plea was 60 months. After a trial it was 300 months, based on 7 people.

A written plea agreement was part of 40% of the guilty pleas, and 60% were straight pleas with no agreement.

## Growth in Recent Fiscal Years

Fiscal years 2016 to 2019 had 96 people, and fiscal years 2020 to 2025 had 329 people. The yearly count rose from 22 in fiscal year 2016 to 79 in fiscal year 2025, with 87 in fiscal year 2024.

The yearly median prison term was between 34 months and 70 months. The records cannot show whether the change in counts reflects more cases, different charging choices, or something else.

| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| 2016        | 22               | 46 months     | 100%           |
| 2017        | 19               | 34 months     | 100%           |
| 2018        | 28               | 46 months     | 100%           |
| 2019        | 27               | 47 months     | 93%            |
| 2020        | 21               | 60 months     | 100%           |
| 2021        | 27               | 70 months     | 93%            |
| 2022        | 37               | 62 months     | 100%           |
| 2023        | 78               | 70 months     | 97%            |
| 2024        | 87               | 60 months     | 99%            |
| 2025        | 79               | 70 months     | 100%           |

## Supervised Release, Fines, and Criminal History

Supervised release after prison was ordered for 406 people (96%), with a median term of 36 months. A fine was ordered for 10 people (2%), and restitution for 18 (4%).

In criminal history, 21% were in the lowest category and 18% in the highest. Court-martial records have no criminal history field.

## Limits of the Data

The Commission counts only people who were convicted and sentenced. Acquittals and dismissals are not in it. The prison terms listed are those imposed, not time served.

The records do not show the facts of any case. This post reports federal numbers on their own.

### How We Counted

Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Louisiana East") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Firearms" (425). 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 Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) (overview)
- [Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-trafficking-sentences-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-fraud-theft-embezzlement-sentences-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-immigration-sentences-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) (same district, other offense type)
- [Federal Robbery Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-robbery-sentences-eastern-district-of-louisiana/) (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.