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# Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,000 or Less, FY2016–2025
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less/
- Published: 2026-11-03T01:38:40.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:13:00.000Z
- Description: Probation only was the most common sentence for the 1,210 people sentenced in federal court for theft or fraud with a loss of $1,000 or less: 756 (62%). A prison term went to 397 (33%), with a median of 5.8 months. These are fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and only convicted people are counted.
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Theft and Fraud by Dollar Loss](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-dollar-loss-vs-article-121/) › Loss: $1,000 or less

**In brief:** Probation only was the most common sentence for the 1,210 people sentenced in federal court for theft or fraud with a loss of $1,000 or less: 756 (62%). A prison term went to 397 (33%), with a median of 5.8 months. These are fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and only convicted people are counted.

Updated November 2, 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 1,210 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/).

## What Was the Most Common Sentence for a Loss of $1,000 or Less?

Probation only, with no prison or other confinement, went to 756 of the 1,210 people (62%) in this lowest dollar band. A prison term went to 397 (33%).

Of all §2B1.1 theft and fraud cases, 73% were sent to prison. In this band, probation only was more common than prison.

## How Long Were the Prison Terms?

The median prison term was 5.8 months for those who went to prison. A quarter received 11.5 months or more, and a quarter received 0.3 months or less. For all §2B1.1 cases the median prison term was 21 months.

A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 37 people (3%). Supervised release after prison was ordered for 348 (29%), with a median term of 36 months.

## Did Restitution Matter More Than Prison Here?

Restitution was ordered for 862 people (71%), That is a larger share than the share who received a prison term. A fine was ordered for 215 (18%).

Restitution means repaying the loss to the victim. The records count how many orders were made. They do not show the amounts or whether the money was paid.

## How Many Pleaded Guilty?

Guilty pleas were entered by 1,195 of the 1,210 people (99%), and 15 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 5.7 months after a guilty plea and 6 months after a trial. The trial figure is based on only 11 people sent to prison, so it is a small sample.

Among the guilty pleas, 76% had a written plea agreement and 22% had no agreement.

## Were Sentences Within the Guideline Range?

The information was available for 1,209 people. Of them, 86% (1,043) were sentenced within the range. A sentence below the range at the government's request went to 4% (47), and below it without a government request to 8% (95). Only 2% (24) were above the range.

Criminal history was recorded too: 68% were in the lowest category and 7% in the highest.

## How Did the Band Change by Year?

The number sentenced was 184 in fiscal year 2016 and 50 in fiscal year 2025\. The median prison term was 1.5 months in fiscal year 2022 and 6.6 months in fiscal year 2016\. Because each year has few people sent to prison, one year's median can move a lot.

The records do not show why the counts fell.

| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| 2016        | 184              | 6.6 months    | more than 99%  |
| 2017        | 200              | 5.7 months    | 98%            |
| 2018        | 161              | 4.5 months    | 99%            |
| 2019        | 151              | 6 months      | 99%            |
| 2020        | 108              | 5.6 months    | 100%           |
| 2021        | 85               | 4.5 months    | 99%            |
| 2022        | 91               | 1.5 months    | 100%           |
| 2023        | 102              | 6.5 months    | 97%            |
| 2024        | 78               | 5.8 months    | 99%            |
| 2025        | 50               | 5.2 months    | 100%           |

## How Does This Relate to Courts-Martial?

The UCMJ sets a higher maximum punishment when the property is worth more than $1,000 or is military property. This band ends at that same dollar figure, but the court-martial records rarely show the value of a larceny. The court-martial side cannot be split by dollar loss, and it has no criminal history field.

The band cut points come from the federal loss table in §2B1.1, not from the UCMJ.

### How We Counted

People sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 under guideline §2B1.1 whose recorded dollar loss falls in the band "$1,000 or less" (1,210), U.S. Sentencing Commission (LOSSHI). "Loss not specified" means the records show a loss with no amount.

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

**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.

**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.

**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.

**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.

### More Detail

By fiscal year: [2016](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2016/) · [2017](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2017/) · [2018](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2018/) · [2019](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2019/) · [2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2020/) · [2021](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2021/) · [2022](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2022/) · [2023](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2023/) · [2024](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2024/) · [2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2025/).

## 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)
- [Theft and Fraud by Dollar Loss: Federal Sentences vs. Article 121 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-dollar-loss-vs-article-121/) (overview)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With No Dollar Loss, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-no-loss/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,001 to $15,000, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1001-to-15000/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $15,001 to $95,000, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-15001-to-95000/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $95,001 to $550,000, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-95001-to-550000/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $550,001 to $3.5 Million, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-550001-to-3-5-million/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss Over $3.5 Million, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-over-3-5-million/)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With the Loss Amount Not Specified, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-not-specified/)
- [Army Article 121 Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-121-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 121 Sentences in the Army: Confinement and Discharges, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-121-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Fighting an Army Larceny Charge: How Contested Cases Ended](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-121-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Guilty Pleas in Army Larceny Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-121-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Air Force Article 121 Cases by the Numbers, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-121-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [What Sentence Follows an Air Force Larceny Conviction?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-121-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 121 in the Air Force: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-121-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Has Article 121 Changed in Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial Since 2017?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-121-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 121 Sentences in the Navy-Marine Corps: Confinement and Discharges, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-121-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Not Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Article 121 Cases: What Happened at Trial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-121-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Larceny Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-121-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 121 (Larceny): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-121-courts-martial/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 121 UCMJ: Larceny and Wrongful Appropriation](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-121/?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.