Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The median prison term for the 425 people sentenced for sexual abuse offenses in the Northern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 was 235 months (19.6 years). That is higher than the median of 180 months for the same offense type in all 94 federal districts together. 13 people received a
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In brief: The median prison term for the 425 people sentenced for sexual abuse offenses in the Northern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 was 235 months (19.6 years). That is higher than the median of 180 months for the same offense type in all 94 federal districts together. 13 people received a life sentence.
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 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 and the Latest Years
420 of the 425 people (99%) received a prison term, and 5 (1%) received probation only. A quarter received 360 months or more, and a quarter received 120 months or less.
The yearly medians in the table rise in the last years shown: 240 months in fiscal year 2023, 300 months in fiscal year 2024, and 360 months in fiscal year 2025. The yearly counts are 38, 31, and 43 people. The records do not show why the medians changed.
How the District Compares Nationally
12,095 people were sentenced for sexual abuse offenses across all 94 districts. More than 99% were sent to prison. The national guilty plea rate was 90%, and 41% of sentences were within the guideline range.
For all offenses in this district, the median prison term was 60 months, the guilty plea rate was 98%, and 62% of sentences were within the range. These are terms imposed, not time served.
What This Offense Type Includes
The U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Sexual Abuse" offense type is broader than the name suggests. The most common primary guidelines were §2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material), for 194 people, and §2G1.3 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor), for 187.
23 people had §2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse), and 9 had §2G1.1 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with an Individual Other than a Minor). The group was 3% of the 14,591 people sentenced in the district.
Pleas and Trials
397 of 425 (93%) pleaded guilty, and 28 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 220 months after a guilty plea and 360 months after a trial.
87% of the guilty pleas had a written plea agreement, and 13% were straight pleas with no agreement.
Mandatory Minimums and the Range
A mandatory minimum applied to 314 people (74%). The guideline range is the sentencing range calculated under the federal guidelines.
295 sentences (70%) were within it. 57 (13%) were below it at the government's request, and 52 (12%) were below it without a request. 20 (5%) were above it.
Supervised Release
418 people (98%) were ordered to serve supervised release. The median term was 120 months, and 87 people (20%) received supervised release for life.
A fine was ordered for 2 people (less than 1%) and restitution for 48 (11%). 64% were in the lowest criminal history category, and 4% were in the highest. 161 people were sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2019, and 264 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025.
| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 33 | 199 months | 94% |
| 2017 | 38 | 180 months | 92% |
| 2018 | 50 | 156 months | 94% |
| 2019 | 40 | 196 months | 98% |
| 2020 | 46 | 180 months | 93% |
| 2021 | 49 | 184 months | 90% |
| 2022 | 57 | 192 months | 96% |
| 2023 | 38 | 240 months | 92% |
| 2024 | 31 | 300 months | 90% |
| 2025 | 43 | 360 months | 93% |
Limits of the Records
Only people who were convicted and sentenced are counted. Acquittals and dismissals are not in the data. Dyess AFB, Goodfellow AFB, and Sheppard AFB are in this district, but courts-martial are tried in military courts, not in this federal court. The records do not describe any case.
How We Counted
Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of Texas (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Texas North") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Sexual Abuse" (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 (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 Texas, FY2016–2025 (overview)
- Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Firearms Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, 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.