District Sentencing

D.N.M. · AssaultFY2018–FY2025

Districts › District of New Mexico

Assault in the District of New Mexico

D.N.M. · Tenth Circuit · Assault 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.

51cases, FY2025280 over FY2018–FY2025
41median prison monthsnational, this offence: 46
42%within guideline rangenational 48%
92%cases with a prison termnational 91%

§ 1Length of prison terms

6%
4%
11%
19%
24%
22%
10%
<10
<10
<10
median 41 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 (258 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: assault offences nationally.

Interquartile range 24–78 months; mean 57. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

280 assault offences were sentenced in the District of New Mexico across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 51 of them in FY2025; that is 1% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 41 months (3 yr 5 mo), close to the national median for assault offences (46 months) and close to the Tenth Circuit median (41). Half of prison terms fell between 24 and 78 months; 92% of cases carried a prison term.

42% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 48%); 31% were below the range on a government motion and 19% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (51 against 32). The median prison term in FY2025 (48 months) was longer than in FY2018 (33 months).

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 42%Above range 8%Below range, government sponsored 31%Below range, other 19%Not determinable <10

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

MeasureD.N.M., assaultD.N.M., all offences10th Cir., assaultUS, assault
Cases per fiscal year352,623136778
Share of district caseload1.3%100%——
Median prison months4144146
Mean prison months5719—73
Cases with a prison term92%99%88%91%
Within guideline range42%58%48%48%
Above range8%1%11%8%
Below range, government sponsored31%31%27%22%
Below range, other19%10%14%22%
Median final offence level2110—20

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

32
39
34
35
23
27
39
51
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Assault cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
33
33
37
37
48
70
41
48
’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
FY201832—33—41%——
FY201939—3332%55%——
FY202034—3744%32%——
FY202135—3761%———
FY202223—4848%44%——
FY202327—7042%———
FY202439—4139%—36%—
FY202551—4849%—28%—

§ 6Criminal history

Category I57% · 39%
Category II12% · 13%
Category III11% · 17%
Category IV7% · 11%
Category V5% · 8%
Category VI8% · 13%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: assault 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 assault offences in the District of New Mexico?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 41 months (3 yr 5 mo), with the middle half of terms between 24 and 78 months. 92% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for assault offences is 46 months.

How often are assault offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

31% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 19% below it for other reasons; 42% 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, assault offences had a median prison term of 46 months and a within-range share of 48% over the same period. The district's figures are close to on median term and lower than the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2A2.2, §none and §2A2.1.

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 New Mexico

§ 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 4; district is CIRCDIST 80. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.