District Sentencing

N.D. Tex. · Sex AbuseFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Northern District of Texas

Sex Abuse in the Northern District of Texas

N.D. Tex. · Fifth 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.

43cases, FY2025354 over FY2018–FY2025
240median prison monthsnational, this offence: 180
70%within guideline rangenational 41%
—cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10
<10
<10
7%
26%
11%
19%
17%
14%
median 240 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 (351 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: sexual abuse offences nationally.

Interquartile range 120–360 months; mean 244. 49 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

354 sexual abuse offences were sentenced in the Northern District of Texas across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 43 of them in FY2025; that is 3% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 240 months (20 years), longer than the national median for sexual abuse offences (180 months) and close to the Fifth Circuit median (220). Half of prison terms fell between 120 and 360 months; — of cases carried a prison term.

70% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 41%); 14% were below the range on a government motion and 11% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had fewer cases than FY2018 (43 against 50). The median prison term in FY2025 (360 months) was longer than in FY2018 (156 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 70%Above range 5%Below range, government sponsored 14%Below range, other 11%Not determinable <10

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

MeasureN.D. Tex., sex abuseN.D. Tex., all offences5th Cir., sex abuseUS, sex abuse
Cases per fiscal year441,4731371,239
Share of district caseload3.0%100%——
Median prison months24060220180
Mean prison months24491—212
Cases with a prison term—96%99%99%
Within guideline range70%62%63%41%
Above range5%7%4%5%
Below range, government sponsored14%14%16%29%
Below range, other11%17%17%26%
Median final offence level3723—37

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

50
40
46
49
57
38
31
43
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Sex Abuse cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
156
196
180
184
192
240
300
360
’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
FY201850—15670%——0%
FY201940100%19665%———
FY202046—18076%———
FY202149—18469%———
FY202257100%19275%———
FY202338100%24057%———
FY202431100%30065%———
FY202543100%36077%———

§ 6Criminal history

Category I64% · 67%
Category II11% · 10%
Category III10% · 9%
Category IV5% · 5%
Category V6% · 6%
Category VI4% · 4%

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 Northern District of Texas?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 240 months (20 years), with the middle half of terms between 120 and 360 months. — 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?

14% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 11% below it for other reasons; 70% 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 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 §2G2.1, §2G1.3 and §none.

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 Texas

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