District Sentencing

N.D. Ga. · FirearmsFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Northern District of Georgia

Firearms in the Northern District of Georgia

N.D. Ga. · Eleventh Circuit · Firearms 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.

98cases, FY2025654 over FY2018–FY2025
50median prison monthsnational, this offence: 41
34%within guideline rangenational 52%
90%cases with a prison termnational 94%

§ 1Length of prison terms

3%
3%
13%
16%
21%
31%
7%
4%
<10
<10
median 50 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 (591 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: firearms offences nationally.

Interquartile range 24–84 months; mean 60. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Firearms was the primary offence type in 654 cases sentenced in the Northern District of Georgia between FY2018 and FY2025 (15% of the district's cases), with 98 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 50 months (4 yr 2 mo), longer than the national median for firearms offences (41 months) and close to the Eleventh Circuit median (48). Half of prison terms fell between 24 and 84 months; 90% of cases carried a prison term.

34% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 52%); 32% were below the range on a government motion and 28% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (98 against 66). The median prison term in FY2025 (41 months) was shorter than in FY2018 (60 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 34%Above range 6%Below range, government sponsored 32%Below range, other 28%Not determinable <10

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

MeasureN.D. Ga., firearmsN.D. Ga., all offences11th Cir., firearmsUS, firearms
Cases per fiscal year825369198,251
Share of district caseload15.2%100%——
Median prison months50424841
Mean prison months6066—53
Cases with a prison term90%91%94%94%
Within guideline range34%33%60%52%
Above range6%3%5%6%
Below range, government sponsored32%40%12%17%
Below range, other28%24%24%26%
Median final offence level2121—19

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

66
72
80
67
108
99
64
98
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Firearms cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
60
55
57
47
52
44
50
41
’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
FY201866—6052%20%25%—
FY201972—5535%32%26%—
FY202080—5733%35%27%—
FY202167—4730%39%22%—
FY202210886%5236%28%29%—
FY202399—4434%33%25%—
FY202464—5022%39%33%—
FY20259889%4129%32%36%—

§ 6Criminal history

Category I30% · 18%
Category II9% · 11%
Category III14% · 20%
Category IV14% · 17%
Category V12% · 13%
Category VI21% · 21%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: firearms 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 firearms offences in the Northern District of Georgia?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 50 months (4 yr 2 mo), with the middle half of terms between 24 and 84 months. 90% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for firearms offences is 41 months.

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

32% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 28% below it for other reasons; 34% 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, firearms offences had a median prison term of 41 months and a within-range share of 52% over the same period. The district's figures are above on median term and lower than the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2K2.1, §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 Northern District of Georgia

§ 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 13; district is CIRCDIST 93. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.