District Sentencing

E.D. Mich. · Sex AbuseFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Eastern District of Michigan

Sex Abuse in the Eastern District of Michigan

E.D. Mich. · Sixth Circuit · Sex Abuse 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.

28cases, FY2025241 over FY2018–FY2025
204median prison monthsnational, this offence: 180
28%within guideline rangenational 41%
100%cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
9%
19%
28%
16%
14%
11%
median 204 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 (241 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: sexual abuse offences nationally.

Interquartile range 135–336 months; mean 236. 26 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Sex Abuse was the primary offence type in 241 cases sentenced in the Eastern District of Michigan between FY2018 and FY2025 (4% of the district's cases), with 28 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 204 months (17 years), close to the national median for sexual abuse offences (180 months) and shorter than the Sixth Circuit median (235). Half of prison terms fell between 135 and 336 months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.

28% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 41%); 23% were below the range on a government motion and 49% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had fewer cases than FY2018 (28 against 44). The median prison term in FY2025 (180 months) was shorter than in FY2018 (210 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 28%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 23%Below range, other 49%Not determinable <10

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

MeasureE.D. Mich., sex abuseE.D. Mich., all offences6th Cir., sex abuseUS, sex abuse
Cases per fiscal year307181301,239
Share of district caseload4.2%100%——
Median prison months20436235180
Mean prison months23660—212
Cases with a prison term100%94%100%99%
Within guideline range28%38%37%41%
Above range—1%3%5%
Below range, government sponsored23%17%28%29%
Below range, other49%44%33%26%
Median final offence level3919—37

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

44
36
10
18
36
36
33
28
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Sex Abuse cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
210
305
180
205
216
190
235
180
’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
FY201844100%21027%32%39%—
FY201936100%30542%—36%0%
FY202010100%180———0%
FY202118100%205——61%0%
FY202236100%216——56%0%
FY202336100%19031%—56%0%
FY202433100%235—34%47%—
FY202528100%180——61%—

§ 6Criminal history

Category I63% · 67%
Category II12% · 10%
Category III8% · 9%
Category IV7% · 5%
Category V8% · 6%
Category VI<10

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: sexual abuse 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 sexual abuse offences in the Eastern District of Michigan?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 204 months (17 years), with the middle half of terms between 135 and 336 months. 100% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for sexual abuse offences is 180 months.

How often are sexual abuse offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

23% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 49% below it for other reasons; 28% 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, sexual abuse offences had a median prison term of 180 months and a within-range share of 41% 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 §2G2.1, §none and §2G1.3.

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 Eastern District of Michigan

§ 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 27; district is CIRCDIST 39. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.