> ## 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 Western District of New York, FY2016–2025 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-firearms-sentences-western-district-of-new-york/ - Published: 2026-11-04T11:00:13.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T11:00:13.000Z - Description: The Commission recorded 475 people sentenced for firearms offenses in the Western District of New York in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 455 (96%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 46 months (3.8 years), compared with 42 months across all 94 federal districts. Sentences above the gu - 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 Western District of New York, FY201](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-western-district-of-new-york/) › Firearms: Western District of New York **In brief:** The Commission recorded 475 people sentenced for firearms offenses in the Western District of New York in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 455 (96%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 46 months (3.8 years), compared with 42 months across all 94 federal districts. Sentences above the guideline range were given to 65 people (14%). 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 475 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/). ## Prison Terms for Firearms Cases The U.S. Sentencing Commission counted 475 people in its "Firearms" offense type in the Western District of New York. A prison term went to 455 (96%), and 14 (3%) received probation only, with no prison or other confinement. Among those sent to prison, the median prison term was 46 months. A quarter received 66 months or more, and a quarter received 24 months or less. For all districts together, 78,851 people were sentenced in this offense type, 94% were sent to prison, and the median was 42 months. The median for all offenses in this district was 41 months. ## Sentences Above the Guideline Range Of the 474 people with this information, 229 (48%) were sentenced within the guideline range. Sentences above the range went to 65 (14%). Below the range at the government's request: 118 (25%). Below the range without a government request: 62 (13%). Nationally, 52% of sentences in this offense type were within the range, and 42% were within the range for all offenses in the district. The records do not give the reasons for sentences above the range. ## Which Guidelines Are Involved? The offense type is the Commission's category. In this district, §2K2.1 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Firearms or Ammunition) was the primary guideline in 420 cases. Smaller groups used §2K2.5 (Possession of Firearm or Dangerous Weapon in Federal Facility) with 2 cases, §2K1.3 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Explosive Materials) with 2, and §2X3.1 (Accessory After the Fact) with 1. Firearms cases were 11% of the 4,205 people sentenced in the district. ## Guilty Pleas and Trials A total of 455 people (96%) pleaded guilty, and 20 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 43 months after a guilty plea and 83 months after a trial, based on 20 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. Among the guilty pleas, 99% had a written plea agreement and 1% were straight pleas. Nationally, 97% of people in this offense type pleaded guilty, and the district's rate for all offenses was also 97%. ## Mandatory Minimums, Supervised Release, and Criminal History A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 65 of the 475 people (14%). Supervised release after prison was ordered for 452 (95%), with a median term of 36 months. A fine was ordered for 50 (11%), and restitution for 22 (5%). On criminal history, 24% were in the lowest category, category I, and 13% were in the highest, category VI. Court-martial records have no criminal history field. ## Yearly Counts There were 138 people in fiscal years 2016 to 2019 and 337 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025\. The later period covers more years, so the totals are not directly comparable. The table gives each year. Counts range from 30 to 68 people, and medians run from 27 months in 2017 to 60 months in 2018\. The year-to-year movement is wide and does not show a single direction. | Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | 2016 | 32 | 51 months | 94% | | 2017 | 35 | 27 months | 94% | | 2018 | 41 | 60 months | 80% | | 2019 | 30 | 57 months | 97% | | 2020 | 47 | 33 months | 96% | | 2021 | 49 | 37.5 months | 96% | | 2022 | 65 | 33 months | 100% | | 2023 | 68 | 46 months | 97% | | 2024 | 59 | 50 months | 100% | | 2025 | 49 | 46 months | 98% | ## What Is Missing The data does not include anyone acquitted or whose case was dismissed. The terms shown are those imposed, not time served. The records do not show what each person was charged with beyond the primary guideline, or how many firearms were involved. ### How We Counted Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Western District of New York (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "New York West") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Firearms" (475). 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 Western District of New York, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-western-district-of-new-york/) (overview) - [Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Western District of New York, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-trafficking-sentences-western-district-of-new-york/) (same district, other offense type) - [Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Western District of New York, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-fraud-theft-embezzlement-sentences-western-district-of-new-york/) (same district, other offense type) - [Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Western District of New York, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-immigration-sentences-western-district-of-new-york/) (same district, other offense type) - [Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Western District of New York, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sexual-abuse-sentences-western-district-of-new-york/) (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.