District Sentencing

W.D. Mo. · Sex AbuseFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Western District of Missouri

Sex Abuse in the Western District of Missouri

W.D. Mo. · Eighth 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.

23cases, FY2025203 over FY2018–FY2025
216median prison monthsnational, this offence: 180
32%within guideline rangenational 41%
—cases with a prison termnational 99%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
18%
23%
24%
13%
9%
median 216 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 (202 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: sexual abuse offences nationally.

Interquartile range 144–300 months; mean 237. 19 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

203 sexual abuse offences were sentenced in the Western District of Missouri across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 23 of them in FY2025; that is 3% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 216 months (18 years), longer than the national median for sexual abuse offences (180 months) and longer than the Eighth Circuit median (180). Half of prison terms fell between 144 and 300 months; — of cases carried a prison term.

32% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 41%); 29% were below the range on a government motion and 36% below it for other reasons.

Caseload in FY2025 was about the same as in FY2018. The median prison term was about the same in FY2025 as in FY2018.

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 32%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 29%Below range, other 36%Not determinable 0

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

MeasureW.D. Mo., sex abuseW.D. Mo., all offences8th Cir., sex abuseUS, sex abuse
Cases per fiscal year257421761,239
Share of district caseload3.4%100%——
Median prison months21672180180
Mean prison months23796—212
Cases with a prison term—91%—99%
Within guideline range32%37%47%41%
Above range—7%6%5%
Below range, government sponsored29%26%25%29%
Below range, other36%30%22%26%
Median final offence level4025—37

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

21
33
20
18
25
36
27
23
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Sex Abuse cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
240
184
180
240
240
180
240
270
’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
FY201821100%240————
FY201933100%18436%—36%—
FY202020100%180————
FY202118100%240———0%
FY202225100%240——52%0%
FY202336—18036%39%—0%
FY202427100%24048%——0%
FY202523100%270—48%——

§ 6Criminal history

Category I73% · 67%
Category II5% · 10%
Category III11% · 9%
Category IV<10
Category V<10
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 Western District of Missouri?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 216 months (18 years), with the middle half of terms between 144 and 300 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?

29% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 36% below it for other reasons; 32% 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 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 Western District of Missouri

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