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# Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,001 to $15,000, Fiscal Year 2020
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1001-to-15000-fy2020/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:12:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:12:18.000Z
- Description: The median prison term for federal theft or fraud with a loss of $1,001 to $15,000 was 6 months in fiscal year 2020. That year, 380 people were sentenced in this band, and 205 of them (54%) received a prison term. A quarter of those prison terms were 0.5 months or less.
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,001 to $](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1001-to-15000/) › $1,001 to $15,000: FY2020

**In brief:** The median prison term for federal theft or fraud with a loss of $1,001 to $15,000 was 6 months in fiscal year 2020\. That year, 380 people were sentenced in this band, and 205 of them (54%) received a prison term. A quarter of those prison terms were 0.5 months or less.

Updated November 3, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025

This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 380 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2020\. 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/).

## A 6-Month Median

Among the 205 people sent to prison, the median prison term was 6 months. A quarter of them received 0.5 months or less. Another quarter received 18 months or more.

The fiscal year 2020 median was lower than the 8-month median for the band across fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. In the yearly table, it matches fiscal year 2024 as the lowest median shown.

| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| 2016        | 702              | 7 months      | 99%            |
| 2017        | 602              | 8 months      | 98%            |
| 2018        | 506              | 8.8 months    | more than 99%  |
| 2019        | 498              | 7.8 months    | 98%            |
| 2020        | 380              | 6 months      | more than 99%  |
| 2021        | 342              | 8.6 months    | 99%            |
| 2022        | 350              | 12 months     | 99%            |
| 2023        | 354              | 7 months      | 97%            |
| 2024        | 298              | 6 months      | 97%            |
| 2025        | 238              | 7.2 months    | more than 99%  |

## Prison Compared With Probation

A prison term went to 205 of the 380 (54%). Probation only went to 148 (39%). Probation only means no prison and no other confinement.

The prison rate of 54% matched the rate for the band over all fiscal years from 2016 to 2025\. That all-years group had 4,270 people.

When prison ended, supervised release often followed. It was ordered for 194 people (51%), with a median term of 36 months.

## Only 3 Trials

More than 99% of the cases ended in a guilty plea: 377 of 380\. Only 3 people were convicted after a trial.

The median prison term after a guilty plea was 6 months. The trial figure, 17.5 months, comes from just 2 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. A count of 2 sentences cannot show a pattern.

Written plea agreements were part of 88% of the guilty pleas. Straight pleas, with no agreement, were 12%.

## Sentences and the Guideline Range

The position against the guideline range is recorded for all 380 people. Of these, 285 (75%) received a sentence within the range.

Below the range without a government request: 52 (14%). Below the range at the government's request: 33 (9%). Above the range: 10 (3%).

A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 40 people (11%).

## Other Parts of the Sentence

Restitution was ordered for 319 people (84%). A fine was ordered for 32 (8%).

For criminal history, 59% were in category I, the lowest category, and 9% were in category VI, the highest. The court-martial records have no field for criminal history.

## Next to All §2B1.1 Cases

Across every loss band in fiscal year 2020, 4,356 people were sentenced for theft or fraud under guideline §2B1.1\. Their median prison term was 18 months, and 72% were sent to prison.

The $1,001 to $15,000 band had a shorter median and a lower prison rate than that full group. The band cut points come from the loss table in the guideline.

## What Is Not Counted

The data counts people convicted and sentenced. It does not count acquittals or dismissals.

Fiscal year 2020 is a federal fiscal year, from October 1 to September 30\. Court-martial records rarely list the dollar value of a larceny, so no court-martial group matches this band. The records also cannot show why the median in fiscal year 2020 differed from other years.

### How We Counted

People sentenced in fiscal year 2020 under guideline §2B1.1 whose recorded dollar loss falls in the band "$1,001 to $15,000" (380), U.S. Sentencing Commission (LOSSHI).

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.

## 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)
- [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/) (overview)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,001 to $15,000, Fiscal Year 2019](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1001-to-15000-fy2019/) (previous or next year)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,001 to $15,000, Fiscal Year 2021](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1001-to-15000-fy2021/) (previous or next year)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With No Dollar Loss, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-no-loss-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $1,000 or Less, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-1000-or-less-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $15,001 to $95,000, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-15001-to-95000-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $95,001 to $550,000, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-95001-to-550000-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss of $550,001 to $3.5 Million, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-550001-to-3-5-million-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With a Loss Over $3.5 Million, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-over-3-5-million-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [Federal Theft and Fraud Sentences With the Loss Amount Not Specified, Fiscal Year 2020](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-loss-not-specified-fy2020/) (same year, other loss band)
- [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/)
- [Army Article 121 Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-121-trend-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)
- [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 (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.