Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for January 2026
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during January 2026 the government reported 1084 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 2.2 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for narcotics/drugs-related offenses are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (see Table 1).
When monthly 2026 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-7.1%). Convictions over the past year are still much higher than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are up 2.8 percent from levels reported in 2021.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Narcotics/Drugs Convictions
The leveling out from the levels five years ago in narcotics/drugs convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of narcotics/drugs convictions of this type recorded on a month-to-month basis. Where a prosecution was initially filed in U.S. Magistrate Court and then transferred to the U.S. District Court, the magistrate filing date was used since this provides an earlier indicator of actual trends. The superimposed line on the bars plots the six-month moving average so that natural fluctuations are smoothed out. The one and five-year rates of change in Table 1 and in the sections that follow are all based upon this six-month moving average. To view trends year-by-year rather than month-by-month, see TRAC's annual report series for a broader picture.
Within the broad category of narcotics/drugs, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within narcotics/drugs are
Drug Trafficking
Simple Drug Possession
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
Major Project Triggerlock Prosecutions (OCDETF)
Other Triggerlock Prosecutions (OCDETF)
The largest number of convictions of these matters in January 2026 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 63.8 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (35.8%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in January 2026 was DEA accounting for 39 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: DHS (22% ), FBI (20%), ATF (10%), Local (4%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In January 2026, no defendants in narcotics/drugs cases for these matters were convicted in U.S. Magistrate Courts. These courts handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In addition, complaints are sometimes filed in the magistrate courts before an indictment or information is entered. In these cases, the matter starts in the magistrate courts and later moves to the district court where subsequent proceedings take place.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In January 2026, 1082 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during January there were an additional 0 defendants whose cases moved from the magistrate courts to the U.S. district courts after an indictment or information was filed. The sections which follow cover both sets of cases and therefore cover all matters filed in district court during January.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of narcotics/drugs matters filed in U.S. District Court during January 2026.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 556 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 278 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 67 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 36 4 5 5 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 19 6 7 19 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 17 7 6 6 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 16 8 8 7 More 18 USC 1791 - Providing or possessing contraband in prison 5 9 14 15 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 5 9 9 11 More 18 USC 1959 - Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity 5 9 30 13 More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Attempt and conspiracy" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 846. "Attempt and conspiracy" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 846 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Importation of controlled substances" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 952. "Importation of controlled substances" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 100 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1959 that involves " Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 928.6 percent — was registered for convictions under " Penalties " (Title 46 U.S.C Section 70506 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 16.7 percent — was "Other US Code Section " (Title U.S.C Section ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 47.9 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Importation of controlled substances " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 952 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In January 2026 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 381.8 narcotics/drugs convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of narcotics/drugs convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of convictions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 narcotics/drugs convictions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Cal, S 2,482 72 1 1 1 More Montana 2,005 19 2 41 27 More Wyoming 1,838 9 3 86 74 More N Dakota 1,808 12 4 34 44 More W Virg, S 1,716 12 5 43 66 More D. C. 1,709 10 6 58 91 More Ala, S 1,506 11 7 50 55 More W Virg, N 1,418 11 8 16 62 More S Dakota 1,317 10 9 55 39 More La, E 1,311 18 10 35 80 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 2482 convictions as compared with 381.8 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during January 2026. The Southern District of California (San Diego) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.
The District of Montana ranked 2nd.
District of Wyoming is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling), now ranked 8th , and North Dakota at 4th In the same order, these districts ranked 16th and 34th one year ago and 62nd and 44th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 7 percent — was South Dakota . Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 700 percent — was Washington, D.C. (Washington).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 43.2 percent — was North Dakota . But over the past five years, Southern District of California (San Diego) showed the largest drop — 40.7 percent.
Top Ranked District Judges
At any one time, there are about 680 federal District Court judges working in the United States. The judges recorded with the largest number of new narcotics/drugs crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during January 2026 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 25 1 29 3 More Hendrix, James Wesley Texas, N 10 2 7 21 More Broomes, John Wesley Kansas 9 3 57 145 More Carreņo-Coll, Silvia Luisa Puer Rico 9 3 10 - More Delgado Hernandez, Pedro Alberto Puer Rico 9 3 5 23 More Covington, Virginia Maria Hernandez Fla, M 8 6 77 145 More Melgren, Eric F. Kansas 8 6 35 239 More Laplante, Joseph Normand New Hamp 8 6 77 218 More Pittman, Mark Timothy Texas, N 8 6 36 60 More Drozd, Dale A. Cal, E 7 10 104 74 More Nye, David Charles Idaho 7 10 27 51 More Rose, Stephanie Marie Iowa, S 7 10 432 98 More Watters, Susan Pamela Montana 7 10 85 30 More Cogburn, Max Oliver, Jr. N Car, W 7 10 104 81 More Welte, Peter David N Dakota 7 10 10 116 More Crone, Marcia A. Texas, E 7 10 4 163 More Kernodle, Jeremy Daniel Texas, E 7 10 17 51 More Barker, J. Campbell Texas, E 7 10 160 - More O'Connor, Reed Charles Texas, N 7 10 17 24 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 7 10 1 11 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 2 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of narcotics/drugs convictions per capita, while the remaining 18 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 20 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 1st with 25 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix in the Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth) ranked 2nd with 10 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions. Judge Hendrix also appeared in the top ten rankings one year ago (ranked 7).
Judges John Wesley Broomes in the District of Kansas, Silvia Luisa Carreņo-Coll in the District of Puerto Rico and Pedro Alberto Delgado Hernandez in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 3rd with 9 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions. Judge Carreņo-Coll also appeared in the top ten rankings one year ago (ranked 10).Judge Delgado Hernandez also appeared in the top ten rankings one year ago (ranked 5).
Report Generated: April 16, 2026
