C.D. Cal. · Stalking/HarassingFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Central District of California

Stalking/Harassing in the Central District of California

Q: What is the typical sentence for stalking and harassing offences in the Central District of California?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), with the middle half of terms between 12 and 37 months. — of cases carried a prison term. The national median for stalking and harassing offences is 24 months.

Q: How often are stalking and harassing offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

— of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 33% below it for other reasons; 33% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

Q: How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, stalking and harassing offences had a median prison term of 24 months and a within-range share of 46% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and lower than the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A6.1 and §2A6.2.

Q: Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

C.D. Cal. · Ninth Circuit · Stalking/Harassing nationally

The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.

<10cases, FY202551 over FY2018–FY2025

18median prison monthsnational, this offence: 24

33%within guideline rangenational 46%

—cases with a prison termnational 90%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

30%

<10

median 18 mo

under 6 mo6–11 mo1–2 yr2–3 yr3–5 yr5–10 yr10–15 yr15–20 yr20–30 yr30 yr+life

Share of cases with a prison term, by length of the term (46 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: stalking and harassing offences nationally.

Interquartile range 12–37 months; mean 31. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Stalking/Harassing was the primary offence type in 51 cases sentenced in the Central District of California between FY2018 and FY2025 (1% of the district's cases), with <10 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), shorter than the national median for stalking and harassing offences (24 months) and shorter than the Ninth Circuit median (24). Half of prison terms fell between 12 and 37 months; — of cases carried a prison term.

33% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 46%); — were below the range on a government motion and 33% below it for other reasons.

These are aggregates of past cases. The guideline range for any case depends on its offence level, criminal history and statutory minimums, and the sentence on the court's findings; no figure here estimates an outcome.

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 33%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored <10Below range, other 33%Not determinable 0

§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation

Measure	C.D. Cal., stalking/harassing	C.D. Cal., all offences	9th Cir., stalking/harassing	US, stalking/harassing
Cases per fiscal year	<10	997	41	241
Share of district caseload	0.6%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	18	37	24	24
Mean prison months	31	57	—	31
Cases with a prison term	—	86%	88%	90%
Within guideline range	33%	29%	39%	46%
Above range	—	2%	8%	11%
Below range, government sponsored	—	34%	29%	20%
Below range, other	33%	36%	24%	23%
Median final offence level	15	21	—	16

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Stalking/Harassing cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

<10

—

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

Fiscal year	Cases	Prison	Median months	Within range	Below, gov.	Below, other	Above
FY2018	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2019	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	10	—	—	—	—	—	—
FY2023	10	100%	33	—	—	—	—
FY2024	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2025	<10	fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I61% · 51%

Category II<10

Category III<10

Category IV<10

Category V<10

Category VI<10

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: stalking and harassing offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

§none · 460 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2A6.1 Threatening or harassing communications · 33 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2A6.2 Stalking or domestic violence · 15 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X3.1 Accessory after the fact · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X1.1 Attempt, solicitation or conspiracy (not covered by a specific guideline) · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)

Primary guidelines the Commission associates with this offence type, with the district's caseload under each across all offence types.

§ 8Questions and answers

What is the typical sentence for stalking and harassing offences in the Central District of California?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), with the middle half of terms between 12 and 37 months. — of cases carried a prison term. The national median for stalking and harassing offences is 24 months.

How often are stalking and harassing offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

— of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 33% below it for other reasons; 33% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, stalking and harassing offences had a median prison term of 24 months and a within-range share of 46% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and lower than the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A6.1 and §2A6.2.

Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

§ 9Other offence types in the Central District of California

§ 10Provenance

Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 28; district is CIRCDIST 65. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.