Narcotics/Drugs Convictions for October 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during October 2024 the government reported 1437 new narcotics/drugs convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is down 28.7 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 2024 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-12.2%). 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 13 percent from levels reported in 2019.
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 October 2024 was for "Drugs-Drug Trafficking", accounting for 62.4 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Drugs-Organized Crime Task Force" (37.2%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for narcotics/drugs convictions in October 2024 was DEA accounting for 44 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of narcotics/drugs convictions were: FBI (20% ), DHS (17%), ATF (9%), Local (4%). See Figure 3.
Narcotics/Drugs Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In October 2024, 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 October 2024, 1433 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during October 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 October.
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 October 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 803 1 1 1 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 364 2 2 2 More 21 USC 952 - Importation of controlled substances 73 3 3 3 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 35 5 5 4 More 21 USC 963 - Attempt and conspiracy 17 6 9 6 More 46 USC 70503 - Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 15 7 6 7 More 46 USC 70506 - Penalties 15 7 7 8 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 5 9 8 9 More 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 5 9 11 10 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 45.7 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 21 U.S.C Section 963 that involves " Attempt and conspiracy ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 138.9 percent — was registered for convictions under "Other US Code Section " (Title U.S.C Section ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 32.9 percent — was " Laundering of monetary instruments " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1956 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 43.8 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " RICO - prohibited activities " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1962 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In October 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 513.4 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 W Virg, N 3,110 24 1 26 57 More Cal, S 3,027 87 2 1 1 More Okla, N 2,599 24 3 80 63 More Mo, E 2,349 57 4 10 15 More S Dakota 2,119 16 5 35 39 More Utah 1,791 51 6 13 25 More New Hamp 1,626 19 7 77 72 More Okla, E 1,610 10 8 89 87 More Ark, E 1,531 21 9 22 27 More Tenn, E 1,510 35 10 11 11 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) — with 3110 convictions as compared with 513.4 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during October 2024.
The Southern District of California (San Diego) ranked 2nd. 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.
Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville), now ranked 10th , and Utah at 6th In the same order, these districts ranked 11th and 13th one year ago and 11th and 25th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions compared to one year ago — 228.6 percent — was Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 188.3 percent — was Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of narcotics/drugs convictions — 25 percent — was South Dakota . But over the past five years, Eastern District of Tennessee (Knoxville) showed the largest drop — 21.4 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 October 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Crane, Randy Texas, S 24 1 32 38 More Nielson, Howard Curtis, Jr. Utah 19 2 31 - More Ross, John Andrew Mo, E 17 3 264 173 More Limbaugh, Stephen Nathaniel, Jr. Mo, E 16 4 84 124 More Mariani, Robert David Penn, M 15 5 209 280 More Corker, Clifton Leland Tenn, E 13 6 15 662 More Groh, Gina Marie W Virg, N 13 6 73 354 More Schreier, Karen E. S Dakota 12 8 17 116 More Olvera, Jose Rolando, Jr. Texas, S 12 8 36 27 More Counts, Walter David, III Texas, W 12 8 1 1 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 6 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 4 judges were from other districts.
Judge Randy Crane in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 1st with 24 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge Howard Curtis Nielson, Jr. in the District of Utah ranked 2nd with 19 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Judge John Andrew Ross in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) ranked 3rd with 17 convicted in narcotics/drugs convictions.
Report Generated: December 17, 2024
