D. Minn. · Child PornographyFY2018–FY2025

Child Pornography in the District of Minnesota

Q: What is the typical sentence for child pornography offences in the District of Minnesota?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 120 months (10 years), with the middle half of terms between 88 and 180 months. 100% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for child pornography offences is 96 months.

Q: How often are child pornography offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

23% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 45% below it for other reasons; 30% 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, child pornography offences had a median prison term of 96 months and a within-range share of 33% over the same period. The district's figures are above on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2G2.2, §none and §2X3.1.

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.

D. Minn. · Eighth Circuit · Child Pornography 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, FY2025113 over FY2018–FY2025

120median prison monthsnational, this offence: 96

30%within guideline rangenational 33%

100%cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

29%

35%

19%

<10

median 120 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 (113 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: child pornography offences nationally.

Interquartile range 88–180 months; mean 138. <10 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Child Pornography was the primary offence type in 113 cases sentenced in the District of Minnesota between FY2018 and FY2025 (4% of the district's cases), with <10 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 120 months (10 years), longer than the national median for child pornography offences (96 months) and longer than the Eighth Circuit median (96). Half of prison terms fell between 88 and 180 months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.

30% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 33%); 23% were below the range on a government motion and 45% below it for other reasons.

Caseload in FY2023 was about the same as in FY2018. The median prison term was about the same in FY2023 as in FY2018.

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 30%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 23%Below range, other 45%Not determinable 0

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

Measure	D. Minn., child pornography	D. Minn., all offences	8th Cir., child pornography	US, child pornography
Cases per fiscal year	14	340	217	1,334
Share of district caseload	4.1%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	120	70	96	96
Mean prison months	138	88	—	111
Cases with a prison term	100%	92%	—	99%
Within guideline range	30%	30%	31%	33%
Above range	—	3%	4%	3%
Below range, government sponsored	23%	29%	27%	24%
Below range, other	45%	38%	38%	40%
Median final offence level	33	25	—	30

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Child Pornography cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

108

180

120

140

123

120

<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	20	100%	108	—	—	60%	—
FY2019	20	100%	180	—	—	50%	0%
FY2020	16	100%	120	—	—	—	0%
FY2021	13	100%	140	—	—	—	—
FY2022	12	100%	123	—	—	—	0%
FY2023	18	100%	120	—	—	—	0%
FY2024	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2025	<10	fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I47% · 73%

Category II11% · 11%

Category III29% · 10%

Category IV<10

Category V<10

Category VI<10

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: child pornography offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

§2G2.2 Trafficking in material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor (child pornography) · 113 cases in the district (all offence types)
§none · 67 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X3.1 Accessory after the fact · <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 child pornography offences in the District of Minnesota?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 120 months (10 years), with the middle half of terms between 88 and 180 months. 100% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for child pornography offences is 96 months.

How often are child pornography offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

23% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 45% below it for other reasons; 30% 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, child pornography offences had a median prison term of 96 months and a within-range share of 33% over the same period. The district's figures are above on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2G2.2, §none 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 Minnesota

§ 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 7; district is CIRCDIST 57. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.