District Sentencing

D. Utah · Child PornographyFY2018–FY2025

Districts › District of Utah

Child Pornography in the District of Utah

D. Utah · Tenth 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.

18cases, FY2025154 over FY2018–FY2025
72median prison monthsnational, this offence: 96
20%within guideline rangenational 33%
—cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10
<10
7%
22%
34%
27%
<10
<10
median 72 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 (152 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: child pornography offences nationally.

Interquartile range 46–120 months; mean 81. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Child Pornography was the primary offence type in 154 cases sentenced in the District of Utah between FY2018 and FY2025 (3% of the district's cases), with 18 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 72 months (6 years), shorter than the national median for child pornography offences (96 months) and shorter than the Tenth Circuit median (87). Half of prison terms fell between 46 and 120 months; — of cases carried a prison term.

20% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 33%); 73% were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons.

Caseload in FY2025 was about the same as in FY2018. The median prison term in FY2025 (96 months) was longer than in FY2018 (48 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 20%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 73%Below range, other <10Not determinable <10

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

MeasureD. Utah, child pornographyD. Utah, all offences10th Cir., child pornographyUS, child pornography
Cases per fiscal year19705821,334
Share of district caseload2.7%100%——
Median prison months72308796
Mean prison months8142—111
Cases with a prison term—86%—99%
Within guideline range20%23%28%33%
Above range—2%6%3%
Below range, government sponsored73%63%39%24%
Below range, other—11%28%40%
Median final offence level2818—30

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

17
24
16
20
21
20
18
18
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Child Pornography cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
48
54
60
72
84
81
114
96
’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
FY201817100%48—65%—0%
FY201924100%54—88%—0%
FY202016—60—73%0%0%
FY202120—72—75%0%0%
FY202221100%84—91%0%0%
FY202320100%81—90%0%0%
FY202418100%114——0%—
FY202518100%96—61%——

§ 6Criminal history

Category I57% · 73%
Category II18% · 11%
Category III17% · 10%
Category IV<10
Category V<10
Category VI0% · 1%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: child pornography 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 child pornography offences in the District of Utah?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 72 months (6 years), with the middle half of terms between 46 and 120 months. — 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?

73% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons; 20% 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 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, §2G2.2 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 Utah

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