Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 18 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for national defense offenses. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years), compared with 24 months in all 94 federal districts, and 17 of the 18 (94%) were sent to prison.
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Trends › Federal Prosecution Analysis › Federal Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 › National Defense Offense: District of Maryland
In brief: In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 18 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for national defense offenses. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years), compared with 24 months in all 94 federal districts, and 17 of the 18 (94%) were sent to prison.
This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 18 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 series, which builds on Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System. How the numbers were built: How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built.
Mostly Export Control Cases
"National Defense" is the U.S. Sentencing Commission's offense type for these cases. It is assigned by the primary guideline used at sentencing. The most common one here was §2M5.2 (Exportation of Arms, Munitions, or Military Equipment or Services Without Required Validated Export License), with 10 people.
The next most common was §2M5.1 (Evasion of Export Controls), with 3 people. Another 2 people were sentenced under §2M5.3 (Providing Material Support or Resources to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists, or For a Terrorist Purpose), and 2 more under §2M3.3 (Transmitting National Defense Information). The offense type covers export control, terrorism support, and national defense information cases under one label.
Prison Terms
Of the 18 people, 17 (94%) received a prison term and 1 (6%) received probation only. The median prison term was 30 months. A quarter received 46 months or more, and a quarter received 24 months or less.
In all districts, 84% of 2,236 people were sent to prison for this offense type. For all offenses in the District of Maryland, the median was 48 months, which is higher than the median for national defense cases here.
Below the Range Was Most Common
The most common position was below the guideline range at the government's request: 8 of 18 people (44%). Another 5 (28%) were below it without a request, and 5 (28%) were within it. None was above the range.
In all districts, 36% of sentences for this offense type were within the range. For all offenses in this district, 31% were. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 0 of the 18 people.
Pleas, Supervised Release, and Fines
All 18 people pleaded guilty, and each plea had a written plea agreement. In all districts, 97% pleaded guilty for this offense type.
Supervised release was ordered for 16 people (89%), with a median term of 24 months, and 1 person (6%) received it for life. A fine was ordered for 2 (11%). Restitution was ordered for none.
Timing, Criminal History, and Limits
Fiscal years 2016 to 2019 had 6 people, and fiscal years 2020 to 2025 had 12. Fiscal year 2023 had 10 of the 18, with a median prison term of 30 months. Other years had between 1 and 4 people, so the yearly medians in the table are based on very small groups.
In criminal history, 89% were in the lowest category and 11% in the highest (VI). Court-martial records have no criminal history field. Fort Meade and Joint Base Andrews are in this district, but courts-martial are tried in military courts. The data counts only people convicted and sentenced, and it cannot show the facts of any case.
| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 153 months | 2 of 2 |
| 2019 | 4 | 96 months | 4 of 4 |
| 2022 | 1 | 6 months | 1 of 1 |
| 2023 | 10 | 30 months | 100% |
| 2024 | 1 | 24 months | 1 of 1 |
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 "National Defense" (18). 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.
Related Analysis
- Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System (the background article)
- Federal Prosecution Analysis (all federal posts)
- How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built (sources and method)
- Federal Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 (overview)
- Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Firearms Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles (source)
- Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants) (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. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.