M.D. Pa. · Child PornographyFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Middle District of Pennsylvania

Child Pornography in the Middle District of Pennsylvania

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

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 120 months (10 years), with the middle half of terms between 84 and 168 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?

— of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 48% below it for other reasons; 47% 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 higher than the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

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

M.D. Pa. · Third 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.

11cases, FY202562 over FY2018–FY2025

120median prison monthsnational, this offence: 96

47%within guideline rangenational 33%

100%cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

47%

29%

18%

<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 (62 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: child pornography offences nationally.

Interquartile range 84–168 months; mean 125. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Child Pornography was the primary offence type in 62 cases sentenced in the Middle District of Pennsylvania between FY2018 and FY2025 (2% of the district's cases), with 11 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 Third Circuit median (96). Half of prison terms fell between 84 and 168 months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.

47% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 33%); — were below the range on a government motion and 48% below it for other reasons.

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 47%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored <10Below range, other 48%Not determinable 0

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

Measure	M.D. Pa., child pornography	M.D. Pa., all offences	3d Cir., child pornography	US, child pornography
Cases per fiscal year	<10	419	62	1,334
Share of district caseload	1.8%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	120	46	96	96
Mean prison months	125	72	—	111
Cases with a prison term	100%	91%	—	99%
Within guideline range	47%	46%	37%	33%
Above range	—	1%	3%	3%
Below range, government sponsored	—	28%	18%	24%
Below range, other	48%	24%	42%	40%
Median final offence level	34	21	—	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)

<10

136

<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	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2019	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2023	12	100%	136	—	0%	—	0%
FY2024	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2025	11	100%	85	—	0%	—	—

§ 6Criminal history

Category I68% · 73%

Category II<10

Category III<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

§none · 419 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2G2.2 Trafficking in material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor (child pornography) · 62 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 Middle District of Pennsylvania?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 120 months (10 years), with the middle half of terms between 84 and 168 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?

— of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 48% below it for other reasons; 47% 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 higher 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 Middle District of Pennsylvania

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