Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for June 2026
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during June 2026 the government reported 1153 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 19.9 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 (-21.3%). Convictions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 10.4 percent from levels reported in 2021.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Narcotics/Drugs Convictions
The decrease 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 June 2026 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 65.4 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (34%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in June 2026 was DEA accounting for 41 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: FBI (21% ), DHS (18%), ATF (9%), Local (4%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In June 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 June 2026, 1151 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during June 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 June.
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 June 2026.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 582 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 358 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 81 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 33 4 5 4 More 18 USC 924 - Firearms; Penalties 14 5 16 13 More 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 9 6 12 16 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 9 6 8 6 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 7 8 6 10 More 18 USC 1791 - Providing or possessing contraband in prison 6 9 16 15 More 18 USC 846 - Explosives - Additional powers of the Secretary 5 10 28 19 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 190.9 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 924 that involves " Firearms; Penalties ". This was the same statute that had the largest increase — 300 % — when compared with five years ago.
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 43.6 percent — was " Laundering of monetary instruments " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1956 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 51.5 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 June 2026 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 406.1 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 2,689 78 1 1 1 More S Dakota 2,107 16 2 54 54 More Montana 1,688 16 3 31 39 More W Virg, N 1,676 13 4 12 21 More Wash, E 1,599 23 5 37 59 More La, W 1,437 25 6 43 83 More D. C. 1,367 8 7 74 88 More Ga, S 1,217 17 8 77 52 More Alaska 1,184 7 9 91 59 More La, E 1,165 16 10 32 79 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 2689 convictions as compared with 406.1 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during June 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 South Dakota ranked 2nd.
District of Montana is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling), now ranked 4th , and Montana at 3rd In the same order, these districts ranked 12th and 31st one year ago and 21st and 39th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 490 percent — was Alaska . Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 492.3 percent — was Western District of Louisiana (Shreveport).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 56.3 percent — was Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling). But over the past five years, Southern District of California (San Diego) showed the largest drop — 47.9 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 June 2026 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 16 1 More Cardone, Kathleen Texas, W 15 2 More Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 14 3 More Wood, Lisa Godbey Ga, S 13 4 More Corker, Clifton Leland Tenn, E 11 5 More Moses, Alia M. Texas, W 11 5 More Gayles, Darrin Phillip Fla, S 10 7 More Arcara, Richard Joseph N. Y., W 10 7 More Jordan, Sean D. Texas, E 10 7 More Bencivengo, Cathy Ann Cal, S 8 10 More Rossiter, Robert F., Jr. Nebraska 8 10 More Velez-Rive, Camille L. Puer Rico 8 10 More Crone, Marcia A. Texas, E 8 10 More Groh, Gina Marie W Virg, N 8 10 More Bastian, Stanley Allen Wash, E 8 10 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 4 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 11 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 15 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Amos L. Mazzant in the Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) ranked 1st with 16 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Kathleen Cardone in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 2nd with 15 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 3rd with 14 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: August 12, 2026
