District Sentencing

S.D. Ala. · Fraud/Theft/EmbezzlementFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Southern District of Alabama

Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement in the Southern District of Alabama

S.D. Ala. · Eleventh Circuit · Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement 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.

52cases, FY2025286 over FY2018–FY2025
13median prison monthsnational, this offence: 20
52%within guideline rangenational 44%
82%cases with a prison termnational 74%

§ 1Length of prison terms

31%
13%
16%
15%
11%
12%
<10
<10
median 13 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 (233 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: fraud, theft and embezzlement offences nationally.

Interquartile range 2–33 months; mean 25. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

286 fraud, theft and embezzlement offences were sentenced in the Southern District of Alabama across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 52 of them in FY2025; that is 12% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 13 months (1 yr 1 mo), shorter than the national median for fraud, theft and embezzlement offences (20 months) and shorter than the Eleventh Circuit median (24). Half of prison terms fell between 2 and 33 months; 82% of cases carried a prison term.

52% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 44%); 13% were below the range on a government motion and 33% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (52 against 22). The median prison term in FY2025 (25 months) was longer than in FY2018 (20 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 52%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 13%Below range, other 33%Not determinable 0

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

MeasureS.D. Ala., fraud/theft/embezzlementS.D. Ala., all offences11th Cir., fraud/theft/embezzlementUS, fraud/theft/embezzlement
Cases per fiscal year362938235,440
Share of district caseload12.2%100%——
Median prison months13412420
Mean prison months2563—28
Cases with a prison term82%94%78%74%
Within guideline range52%55%48%44%
Above range—2%2%3%
Below range, government sponsored13%19%20%25%
Below range, other33%24%30%29%
Median final offence level1220—14

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

22
21
16
19
24
83
49
52
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
20
15
—
6
15
6
24
25
’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
FY201822—2050%———
FY201921—1586%0%—0%
FY202016——63%——0%
FY202119—6———0%
FY202224—1546%——0%
FY20238388%655%16%28%—
FY202449—2443%—43%—
FY20255281%2542%21%33%—

§ 6Criminal history

Category I56% · 71%
Category II14% · 9%
Category III11% · 8%
Category IV8% · 4%
Category V5% · 3%
Category VI7% · 5%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: fraud, theft and embezzlement 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 fraud, theft and embezzlement offences in the Southern District of Alabama?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 13 months (1 yr 1 mo), with the middle half of terms between 2 and 33 months. 82% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for fraud, theft and embezzlement offences is 20 months.

How often are fraud, theft and embezzlement offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

13% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 33% below it for other reasons; 52% 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, fraud, theft and embezzlement offences had a median prison term of 20 months and a within-range share of 44% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and higher than the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2B1.1, §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 Southern District of Alabama

§ 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 16; district is CIRCDIST 88. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.