Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for March 2026
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during March 2026 the government reported 1366 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 21 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 (-8.2%). 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 5.5 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 March 2026 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 66.3 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (33.2%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in March 2026 was DEA accounting for 40 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: FBI (21% ), DHS (17%), ATF (10%), Local (5%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In March 2026, 7 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.
In the magistrate courts in March the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 21 U.S.C Section 844 involving "Penalty for simple possession". This was the lead charge for 28.6 percent of all magistrate convictions in March.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In March 2026, 1359 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 2026.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 767 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 382 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 59 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 40 4 5 4 More 18 USC 924 - Firearms; Penalties 16 5 22 7 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 12 6 7 8 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 11 7 8 10 More 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 11 7 11 9 More 21 USC 959 - Possession, manufacture, or distribution for purpo 6 9 10 22 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 6 9 6 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 454.5 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 924 that involves " Firearms; Penalties ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 383.3 percent — was registered for convictions under " Possession, manufacture, or distribution for purpo " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 959 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 19.6 percent — was " Laundering of monetary instruments " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1956 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 41.7 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 March 2026 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 479.5 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 Ala, S 2,601 19 1 69 54 More Montana 2,216 21 2 42 24 More Tenn, E 2,214 52 3 13 7 More Cal, S 2,103 61 4 1 1 More N Dakota 1,958 13 5 29 43 More S Dakota 1,844 14 6 56 37 More Ark, E 1,743 24 7 23 36 More Iowa, S 1,703 27 8 93 9 More Ill, S 1,580 16 9 49 52 More W Virg, S 1,430 10 10 60 53 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of Alabama (Mobile) — with 2601 convictions as compared with 479.5 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during March 2026.
The District of Montana ranked 2nd.
Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville), now ranked 3rd , and Eastern District of Arkansas (Little Rock) at 7th In the same order, these districts ranked 13th and 23rd one year ago and 7th and 36th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 3266.7 percent — was Southern District of Iowa (Des Moines). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 46.8 percent — was Southern District of Alabama (Mobile).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 38.2 percent — was North Dakota . But over the past five years, Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville) showed the largest drop — 51 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 2026 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Counts, Walter David, III Texas, W 17 1 More Moses, Alia M. Texas, W 16 2 More Wood, Lisa Godbey Ga, S 14 3 More McDonough, Travis Randall Tenn, E 13 4 More Hickey, Susan Owens Ark, W 12 5 More Rose, Stephanie Marie Iowa, S 12 5 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 10 7 More Hendrix, James Wesley Texas, N 10 7 More Miller, Brian Stacy Ark, E 9 9 More Scholer, Karen Gren Texas, N 9 9 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 3 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 7 judges were from other districts.
Judge Walter David Counts, III in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 1st with 17 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Alia M. Moses in the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) ranked 2nd with 16 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Lisa Godbey Wood in the Southern District of Georgia (Savannah) ranked 3rd with 14 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: May 21, 2026
