District Sentencing

D. Mass. · Bribery/CorruptionFY2018–FY2025

Districts › District of Massachusetts

Bribery/Corruption in the District of Massachusetts

D. Mass. · First Circuit · Bribery/Corruption 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, FY202539 over FY2018–FY2025
12median prison monthsnational, this offence: 18
—within guideline rangenational 20%
67%cases with a prison termnational 74%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10
<10
38%
<10
<10
<10
median 12 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 (26 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: bribery and corruption offences nationally.

Interquartile range 6–21 months; mean 16. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

39 bribery and corruption offences were sentenced in the District of Massachusetts across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), <10 of them in FY2025; that is 1% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 12 months (1 year), shorter than the national median for bribery and corruption offences (18 months) and shorter than the First Circuit median (24). Half of prison terms fell between 6 and 21 months; 67% of cases carried a prison term.

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 <10Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 51%Below range, other 36%Not determinable 0

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

MeasureD. Mass., bribery/corruptionD. Mass., all offences1st Cir., bribery/corruptionUS, bribery/corruption
Cases per fiscal year<1048112318
Share of district caseload1.0%100%——
Median prison months12302418
Mean prison months1650—26
Cases with a prison term67%93%71%74%
Within guideline range—29%27%20%
Above range—3%—1%
Below range, government sponsored51%33%43%44%
Below range, other36%36%28%35%
Median final offence level1721—19

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Bribery/Corruption cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
Fiscal yearCasesPrisonMedian monthsWithin rangeBelow, gov.Below, otherAbove
FY20180fewer than 10 cases
FY20190fewer than 10 cases
FY2020<10fewer than 10 cases
FY2021<10fewer than 10 cases
FY2022<10fewer than 10 cases
FY2023<10fewer than 10 cases
FY2024<10fewer than 10 cases
FY2025<10fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I— · 90%
Category II<10
Category III<10
Category IV0% · 1%
Category V0% · 1%
Category VI0% · 1%

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

§ 7Guidelines applied

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 bribery and corruption offences in the District of Massachusetts?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 12 months (1 year), with the middle half of terms between 6 and 21 months. 67% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for bribery and corruption offences is 18 months.

How often are bribery and corruption offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

Not enough cases to show.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, bribery and corruption offences had a median prison term of 18 months and a within-range share of 20% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and null the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2C1.1 and §2X3.1.

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 District of Massachusetts

§ 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 5; district is CIRCDIST 03. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.