Narcotics/Drugs Prosecutions for October 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during October 2024 the government reported 1075 new narcotics/drugs prosecutions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 9.8 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants charged with 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 2024 prosecutions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of filings was down (-8.8%). Prosecutions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that prosecutions of this type are down 39.7 percent from levels reported in 2019.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in Narcotics/Drugs Prosecutions
The decrease from the levels five years ago in narcotics/drugs prosecutions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of narcotics/drugs prosecutions 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 prosecutions of these matters in October 2024 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 67.5 percent of prosecutions. Prosecutions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (31.2%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs prosecutions in October 2024 was DEA accounting for 43 percent of prosecutions referred. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs referrals were: DHS (20% ), FBI (15%), ATF (11%), Local (4%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Prosecutions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In October 2024, 305 defendants in narcotics/drugs cases for these matters were filed 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 October the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 involving "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A". This was the lead charge for 50.8 percent of all magistrate filings in October.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances" (18.7%), "21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy" (12.8%).
Narcotics/Drugs Prosecutions in U.S. District Courts
In October 2024, 770 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during October there were an additional 247 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 October.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the prosecutions of narcotics/drugs matters filed in U.S. District Court during October 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 608 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 163 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 92 3 3 3 More 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 17 5 19 12 More 21 USC 848 - Continuing criminal enterprise 14 6 9 32 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 12 7 5 5 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 12 7 7 7 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 12 7 6 6 More 18 USC 924 - Firearms; Penalties 5 10 15 14 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 5 10 12 - More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 5 10 10 11 More 18 USC 1959 - Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity 5 10 17 21 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 5 10 8 10 More Table 2. Top Charges Filed
"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 prosecutions — up 180 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1962 that involves " RICO - prohibited activities ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 366.7 percent — was registered for prosecutions under " Continuing criminal enterprise " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 848 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in prosecutions compared to one year ago — down 76.5 percent — was " Fraud by wire, radio, or television " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in prosecutions — 75.2 percent — was for filings where the lead charge was " Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US " (Title 46 U.S.C Section 70503 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In October 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government brought 364.4 narcotics/drugs prosecutions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of narcotics/drugs prosecutions that are filed in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of prosecutions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 narcotics/drugs prosecutions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Cal, S 3,166 91 1 1 1 More W Virg, N 1,685 13 2 22 37 More Wash, E 1,619 23 3 34 67 More Iowa, N 1,532 17 4 61 54 More Okla, W 1,418 26 5 19 48 More N Mexico 1,249 22 6 32 29 More Ark, E 1,239 17 7 33 18 More Ga, S 1,157 16 8 73 45 More Montana 1,059 10 9 30 56 More N Car, E 936 33 10 18 15 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of California (San Diego) — with 3166 prosecutions as compared with 364.4 prosecutions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during October 2024. 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 Washington (Spokane) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of North Carolina (Raleigh), now ranked 10th , and Western District of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) at 5th In the same order, these districts ranked 18th and 19th one year ago and 15th and 48th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs prosecutions compared to one year ago — 103.7 percent — was Southern District of Georgia (Savannah). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 48.6 percent — was Western District of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs prosecutions — 16.6 percent — was Southern District of California (San Diego). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 53.2 percent — when compared with five years ago.
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 of this type during October 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Goodwin, Charles Barnes Okla, W 19 1 More Hendrix, James Wesley Texas, N 13 2 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 12 3 More Sammartino, Janis Lynn Cal, S 10 4 More Mendoza, Carlos Eduardo Fla, M 10 4 More Wimes, Brian Curtis Mo, W 10 4 More Guaderrama, David C. Texas, W 9 7 More Marquez, Rosemary Arizona 8 8 More Bencivengo, Cathy Ann Cal, S 8 8 More Bashant, Cynthia Ann Cal, S 8 8 More Limbaugh, Stephen Nathaniel, Jr. Mo, E 8 8 More Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 8 8 More O'Connor, Reed Charles Texas, N 8 8 More Dimke, Mary K. Wash, E 8 8 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 5 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of narcotics/drugs filings per capita, while the remaining 9 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 14 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Charles Barnes Goodwin in the Western District of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) ranked 1st with 19 defendants in narcotics/drugs cases.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix in the Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth) ranked 2nd with 13 defendants in narcotics/drugs cases.
Judge Randy Crane in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 3rd with 12 defendants in narcotics/drugs cases.
Report Generated: December 17, 2024
