Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for March 2025
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during March 2025 the government reported 1729 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 26.5 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 2025 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-3.4%). 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 17.6 percent from levels reported in 2020.
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 March 2025 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 63.6 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (35.6%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in March 2025 was DEA accounting for 43 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: DHS (20% ), FBI (18%), ATF (9%), Local (5%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In March 2025, 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 March 2025, 1726 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during March 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 March.
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 March 2025.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 930 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 416 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 119 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 54 5 5 4 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 16 6 8 6 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 12 7 9 8 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 12 7 6 12 More 08 USC 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens 8 9 18 44 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 8 9 7 7 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 50 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 8 U.S.C Section 1324 that involves " Bringing in and harboring certain aliens ". This was the same statute that had the largest increase — 1700 % — 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 33.6 percent — was " Penalties " (Title 46 U.S.C Section 70506 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 48 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Attempt and conspiracy " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 963 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In March 2025 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 618.4 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 5,636 162 1 1 1 More W Virg, N 4,665 36 2 39 17 More La, E 2,928 40 3 50 78 More Mo, E 2,514 61 4 16 20 More Montana 2,330 22 5 38 48 More Wyoming 2,260 11 6 86 83 More N Dakota 1,837 12 7 21 54 More Ken, E 1,717 32 8 20 16 More Vermont 1,668 9 9 82 69 More Ala, N 1,656 42 10 57 46 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 5636 convictions as compared with 618.4 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during March 2025. 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 Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) ranked 2nd.
Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis), now ranked 4th , and Eastern District of Kentucky (Lexington) at 8th In the same order, these districts ranked 16th and 20th one year ago and 20th and 16th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 112 percent — was Vermont . Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 183.9 percent — was Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 25 percent — was North Dakota . But over the past five years, Southern District of California (San Diego) showed the largest drop — 25.6 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 March 2025 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Zainey, Jay C. La, E 18 1 More Limbaugh, Stephen Nathaniel, Jr. Mo, E 18 1 More Kleeh, Thomas Shawn W Virg, N 17 3 More Greer, J. Ronnie Tenn, E 15 4 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 15 4 More Montenegro, Ruth Bermudez Cal, S 14 6 More Bashant, Cynthia Ann Cal, S 13 7 More Lopez, Linda Cal, S 13 7 More Morales, David Steven Texas, S 12 9 More Groh, Gina Marie W Virg, N 12 9 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 7 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 3 judges were from other districts.
Judges Jay C. Zainey in the Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) and Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh, Jr. in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) ranked 1st with 18 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Thomas Shawn Kleeh in the Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) ranked 3rd with 17 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: May 14, 2025
