Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 81 people were sentenced in the Northern District of California for sexual abuse offenses, and 80 of them (99%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 120 months (10 years). For sexual abuse cases in all 94 federal districts, the median was 180 months.
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Trends › Federal Prosecution Analysis › Federal Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY › Sexual Abuse: Northern District of California
In brief: In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 81 people were sentenced in the Northern District of California for sexual abuse offenses, and 80 of them (99%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 120 months (10 years). For sexual abuse cases in all 94 federal districts, the median was 180 months.
This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 81 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.
Prison Terms for Sexual Abuse in This District
Of the 81 people sentenced, 80 (99%) received a prison term. One person (1%) received probation only.
The median prison term was 120 months (10 years). A quarter received 194 months or more, and a quarter received 84 months or less.
In all 94 districts together, 12,095 people were sentenced for sexual abuse. More than 99% were sent to prison, and the median prison term was 180 months. The median in this district was lower than the national median.
What the Category Includes
"Sexual Abuse" is the U.S. Sentencing Commission's offense type. The Commission assigns each case to a type based on its primary guideline, so the label covers several different federal charges.
In this district, the most common primary guideline was §2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material), with 39 people. Next was §2G1.3 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor), with 32.
Smaller groups were sentenced under §2A3.4 (Abusive Sexual Contact or Attempt to Commit Abusive Sexual Contact), with 5, and §2A3.3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Ward or Attempt to Commit Such Acts), with 4.
Mandatory Minimums and the Guideline Range
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 53 of the 81 people with that information recorded (65%).
The sentence was within the guideline range for 20% (16) of the 81 people. It was below the range at the government's request for 42% (34), and below the range without a government request for 27% (22).
The sentence was above the range for 11% (9). In all sexual abuse cases nationally, 41% of sentences were within the range, and in all offenses in this district the figure was 24%.
Guilty Pleas and Trials
Of the 81 people, 74 (91%) pleaded guilty and 7 were convicted after a trial. Among guilty pleas, 92% had a written plea agreement and 7% were straight pleas with no agreement.
The median prison term after a guilty plea was 121 months. After a trial it was 120 months, based on 7 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. The medians are about the same, and the trial group is small.
Supervised Release, Fines, and Restitution
Supervised release was ordered for 80 people (99%). The median term was 120 months, and 5 people (6%) received supervised release for life.
A fine was ordered for 4 people (5%). Restitution was ordered for 56 (69%).
On criminal history, 73% were in the lowest category, category I, and 4% were in the highest, category VI. Court-martial records have no criminal history field.
Reading the Yearly Counts
Fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30. In fiscal years 2016 to 2019, 31 people were sentenced in these cases. In fiscal years 2020 to 2025, 50 people were sentenced.
The table shows single-year counts from 3 to 15 people. The yearly medians range from 60 months in 2025 to 183 months in 2017. With so few people each year, one year does not show a trend.
Sexual abuse cases were 2% of the 4,531 people sentenced in the district over the full period. The district's median prison term for all offenses was 30 months.
The data include only people who were convicted and sentenced. Acquittals and dismissals are not counted, and prison terms are the terms imposed, not time served. This post reports federal numbers on their own.
| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 | 120 months | 91% |
| 2017 | 4 | 183 months | 4 of 4 |
| 2018 | 2 | 159.5 months | 2 of 2 |
| 2019 | 14 | 147 months | 93% |
| 2020 | 8 | 174 months | 8 of 8 |
| 2021 | 4 | 120 months | 4 of 4 |
| 2022 | 15 | 135 months | 87% |
| 2023 | 14 | 70 months | 86% |
| 2024 | 3 | 63 months | 2 of 3 |
| 2025 | 6 | 60 months | 6 of 6 |
How We Counted
Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of California (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "California North") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Sexual Abuse" (81). 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 (the background article)
- Federal Prosecution Analysis (all federal posts)
- How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built (sources and method)
- Federal Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY2016–2025 (overview)
- Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Firearms Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Northern District of California, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Northern District of California, 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.