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# Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Fort Bliss vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Texas
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-fort-bliss-vs-western-district-of-texas/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:11:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:11:00.000Z
- Description: Fort Bliss had 10 Army convictions for obstruction of justice under Article 131b with trial dates from 2021 to 2025, and only 6 of them (60%) came from guilty pleas. In the Western District of Texas, 25 of 26 people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 (96%) pleaded guilty. The median sentence was about
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Obstruction of Justice and Perjury](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-perjury-vs-courts-martial/) › Obstruction of Justice: Fort Bliss

**In brief:** Fort Bliss had 10 Army convictions for obstruction of justice under Article 131b with trial dates from 2021 to 2025, and only 6 of them (60%) came from guilty pleas. In the Western District of Texas, 25 of 26 people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 (96%) pleaded guilty. The median sentence was about the same on both sides: 11.4 months of confinement at Fort Bliss and a 12-month median prison term in the district.

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 26 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/).

## The Federal Numbers Are Not Fort Bliss Cases

Fort Bliss is located in the federal Western District of Texas. The 26 federal sentences in this post include obstruction cases from across that district. They were not drawn from the installation, and most of the people sentenced were not service members.

For the court-martial count, the records list the trial location as "Fort Bliss". There is no way in these records to tell which court any case would have gone to under the other system.

The court-martial side groups cases by trial date. The federal side uses fiscal years 2016 to 2025, each running from October 1 to September 30\. The military count begins later, in 2021, so the military and federal sides also cover different spans of time.

## More Contested Cases at Fort Bliss

All 10 Fort Bliss convictions had a plea recorded. Guilty pleas made up 6 of them (60%), so the rest were contested cases that ended in conviction. In the district, guilty pleas were more common: 96%, with 1 person convicted after a trial.

At Fort Bliss, the median confinement after a guilty plea was 11.4 months, based on 6 cases with confinement. Contested convictions had a median of 26 months, but that number rests on only 2 cases with confinement and should not be read as a pattern.

Federal guilty pleas in the district mostly involved a written plea agreement: 80%. The other 20% were straight pleas with no agreement.

## Confinement and Prison Terms Compared

Confinement was part of 8 of the 10 sentences recorded at Fort Bliss (80%). In the district, 15 of 26 people (58%) received a prison term, and 10 (38%) received probation only, with no prison or other confinement.

The middle of each range was close: 11.4 months at Fort Bliss and 12 months in the district. The upper quarter differed more. A quarter of Fort Bliss sentences were 22.8 months or more, while a quarter of district prison terms were 33 months or more. A quarter of district terms were 10 months or less.

The court-martial terms are as adjudged at trial, before clemency or appeal. The federal terms are as imposed by the judge, not time actually served.

|                                    | Courts-martial at Fort Bliss       | Federal court, Western District of Texas |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Convictions or people sentenced    | 10                                 | 26                                       |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 80%                                | 58%                                      |
| Median confinement or prison       | 11.4 months                        | 12 months                                |
| A quarter received this or more    | 22.8 months                        | 33 months                                |
| Pleaded guilty                     | 6 of 10 with a plea recorded (60%) | 96%                                      |
| Mandatory minimum applied          | See the caveats                    | 0 of 26 with the information (0%)        |

## Discharges and the Level of Court

Of the 10 enlisted soldiers convicted, 8 (80%) received a punitive discharge. That was 3 dishonorable discharges and 5 bad-conduct discharges. A general court-martial, the level that handles the most serious cases, heard 9 of the 10 (90%).

## How District Sentences Related to the Guideline Range

Federal judges start from a guideline range calculated for each person. In the Western District of Texas, 31% of sentences (8) were within the range and 12% (3) were above it. Sentences below the range were 23% (6) at the government's request and 35% (9) without one.

Criminal history category I, the lowest, applied to 92% of people sentenced in the district, and category VI, the highest, to 4%. Court-martial records have no criminal history field. No mandatory minimum applied to anyone. Supervised release after prison was ordered for 15 people (58%), with a median term of 36 months. Fines were ordered for 10 (38%) and restitution for 2 (8%).

## National Context

All courts-martial for obstruction in the data recorded 329 convictions, with a median confinement of 10 months. All federal districts sentenced 1,256 people under §2J1.2, with a median prison term of 18 months. The district median of 12 months was lower than the national federal median.

## Why These Figures Need Caution

The Fort Bliss count of 10 convictions is small, and each conviction carries a large share of every percentage. The records do not describe what any person did, the strength of the evidence, or how the parties reached a plea. They show sentences and plea types, not the reasons for them.

### How We Counted

Courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 to 2025 whose recorded trial location is Fort Bliss, Texas, ending in a conviction for obstruction of justice (Article 131b) (10). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 in the Western District of Texas (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Texas West") under guideline §2J1.2 (obstruction of justice) (26). 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.

## 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)
- [Obstruction of Justice and Perjury: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-perjury-vs-courts-martial/) (overview)
- [Federal Sentences in the Western District of Texas, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-western-district-of-texas/) (the federal district)
- [Drug Distribution: Courts-Martial at Fort Bliss vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Texas](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-fort-bliss-vs-western-district-of-texas/) (same installation)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/) (other installations)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Camp Pendleton vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-camp-pendleton-vs-southern-district-of-california/) (other installations)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Norfolk vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of Virginia](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-norfolk-vs-eastern-district-of-virginia/) (other installations)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-air-force/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-army/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-marine-corps/)
- [How Has Article 131b Changed in Army Courts-Martial Since 2021?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 131b Conviction in the Army?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Often Are Contested Army Article 131b Cases Acquitted?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Army: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Air Force Article 131b Cases by the Numbers, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [What Sentence Follows an Air Force Obstruction Conviction?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Air Force: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Is Navy-Marine Corps Obstruction Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 131b, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 131b Conviction in the Navy-Marine Corps?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Not Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Article 131b Cases: What Happened at Trial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Navy-Marine Corps: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 131b (Obstruction, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-131b-courts-martial/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 131b UCMJ: Obstructing Justice](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-131b/?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.