Resolved by Guilty Plea
77%
of 571 FY2024 cases
4th Circuit · North Carolina · FY2015–FY2024
Eastern North Carolina District
Federal criminal sentencing outcomes for the U.S. District Court, average sentence, guideline compliance, and disparity versus the national benchmark, from USSC case-level data.
- 80.8
- Avg months FY2024
- above the national average
- 571
- Federal cases
- 37%
- Within guidelines
- typical guideline adherence
- -3.3%
- Disparity vs natl
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC), 571 federal defendants were sentenced in the Eastern North Carolina District in FY2024, at an average of 80.8 months. Every figure on this page is computed from the USSC's case-level Individual Offender Datafiles; see our methodology for how each is derived.
The verdict
The Eastern North Carolina District sentenced 571 federal defendants in FY2024 at an average of 80.8 months - shorter than the national norm for its offense mix, ranking #35 of 85 districts (longer than 59% of them).
- 81 mo
- Average sentence, FY2024
- #35/85
- Avg-sentence rank (#1 = harshest)
- 37%
- Within guideline range
- -3.3%
- Disparity vs national
For educational and research purposes only. This page summarizes historical USSC sentencing statistics, not a prediction for any individual case, sentencing depends on many case-specific factors. Consult a licensed criminal defense attorney for guidance on a specific matter.
Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2024. · Methodology and data dictionary.
Sentencing Trends (FY2015–FY2024)
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 571 | 80.8 | 37% | 4% | 59% |
| FY2023 | 644 | 78.1 | 29% | 2% | 69% |
| FY2022 | 602 | 78.8 | 35% | 3% | 62% |
| FY2021 | 531 | 68.2 | 38% | 1% | 61% |
| FY2020 | 575 | 63.0 | 42% | 4% | 54% |
| FY2019 | 1,058 | 64.9 | 53% | 3% | 44% |
| FY2018 | 966 | 71.9 | 56% | 4% | 40% |
| FY2017 | 709 | 73.2 | 57% | 6% | 37% |
| FY2016 | 627 | 65.5 | 53% | 5% | 41% |
| FY2015 | 642 | 65.2 | 51% | 6% | 43% |
Top Offenses (FY2024)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Drug Trafficking
234 cases · 96.9 mo avg
Firearms
143 cases · 63.4 mo avg
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement
76 cases · 35.8 mo avg
Immigration
24 cases · 12.9 mo avg
Sexual Abuse
17 cases · 236.8 mo avg
Murder
11 cases · 83.5 mo avg
Robbery
9 cases · 204.1 mo avg
Money Laundering
8 cases · 16.4 mo avg
Commercialized Vice
7 cases · 30.0 mo avg
Child Pornography
7 cases · 107.3 mo avg
Sentencing Disparity
-3.3%
vs. national average (FY2024)
Most Common Offenses - Eastern North Carolina (FY2024)
Federal cases sentenced in this district by offense category
- Drug Trafficking
Drug Trafficking
234 cases
- Firearms
Firearms
143 cases
- Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement 76
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement
76 cases
- Immigration 24
Immigration
24 cases
- Sexual Abuse 17
Sexual Abuse
17 cases
- Murder 11
Murder
11 cases
- Robbery 9
Robbery
9 cases
- Money Laundering 8
Money Laundering
8 cases
- Commercialized Vice 7
Commercialized Vice
7 cases
- Child Pornography 7
Child Pornography
7 cases
What this shows Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 234 of the cases sentenced in FY2024.
Eastern North Carolina Sentencing Disparity, FY2015–FY2024
Sentencing Breakdown (FY2024)
Share of the 508 cases with a determinable guideline range.
Within Guidelines
37%
187 cases
Above Guidelines
4%
21 cases
Below Guidelines
59%
300 cases
Who is sentenced (FY2024)
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, of the 571 federal defendants sentenced in the Eastern North Carolina District in FY2024, 14% were women and 6% were non-U.S. citizens. See our methodology for definitions.
Male
86%
491 of 571
Female
14%
80 of 571
Non-U.S. citizen
6%
37 of 571
Male and female shares are of all sentenced defendants; the non-citizen share is a separate cross-cut of the same total. Counts come directly from the USSC datafiles for FY2024.
Where the Eastern North Carolina District ranks among all federal districts (FY2024)
Every rankable district by average sentence; the marker is this district's 80.8-month average.
81 59th percentile longer than 59% of 85 federal districts
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more federal districts. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles · FY2024
Sentenced to Prison
89%
rather than probation only
Avg-Sentence Rank
#35
of 85 districts (#1 = harshest)
What the Eastern North Carolina District Data Reveals
In FY2024, the Eastern North Carolina District (4th Circuit, North Carolina) sentenced 571 federal defendants, with an average imposed sentence of 80.8 months. Of those cases, 37% were sentenced within the U.S. Sentencing Commission guideline range, 4% received above-guideline sentences, and 59% received below-guideline sentences. Prison was imposed in 89% of cases, and 77% of defendants resolved their cases through a guilty plea rather than trial.
Relative to the national average for the same offense mix, the Eastern North Carolina District ran a disparity of -3.3% in FY2024. Sentences here trended shorter than the nationwide benchmark after controlling for offense composition. Below-guideline sentences, downward departures and variances under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), including government-sponsored §5K1.1 motions, following United States v. Booker (2005) - accounted for 59% of the cases with a determinable range.
Context matters: these figures reflect the specific offense mix handled by the Eastern North Carolina District, which drives much of the variation across federal courts. The top offense category was "Drug Trafficking" with 234 cases and an average sentence of 96.9 months. Figures are aggregate descriptive statistics from USSC Individual Offender Datafiles and do not account for criminal history, offense-level adjustments, or cooperation agreements at the individual case level. This data is presented for research and educational purposes only and is not legal advice.
About This Data
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2024. The Eastern North Carolina District is part of the 4th Circuit.
"Within guidelines" means the imposed sentence fell within the calculated guideline range. "Above" and "below" are upward and downward departures or variances. Shares are computed over cases with a determinable guideline range; some cases (e.g. certain mandatory-minimum dispositions) have no calculable range and are excluded from those percentages.
Source: USSC Commission Datafiles · Methodology: see how we compute these metrics
Nearby Districts in the 4th Circuit
Other federal district courts in the same circuit. Compare sentencing patterns across neighboring jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average federal sentence in the Eastern North Carolina District?
In FY2024, the Eastern North Carolina District Court imposed an average federal sentence of 80.8 months across 571 cases. This includes all offense types handled by the district.
How often do judges in Eastern North Carolina follow the sentencing guidelines?
In FY2024, 37% of sentences in the Eastern North Carolina District fell within the federal sentencing guidelines range. 4% were above guidelines (upward departures) and 59% were below guidelines (downward departures).
What is a sentencing disparity score?
The disparity score measures how far a district's average sentences deviate from the national average for the same offense types. A positive score means the district sentences higher than average; a negative score means lower. The Eastern North Carolina District had a disparity of -3.3% in FY2024.
What does "below guidelines" mean in federal sentencing?
A below-guideline sentence is one shorter than the bottom of the calculated guideline range, a downward departure or variance, often reflecting a government-sponsored motion (such as substantial assistance under §5K1.1) or a judicial variance under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) following United States v. Booker (2005). In the Eastern North Carolina District, 59% of cases with a determinable guideline range fell below it in FY2024.
Where does the Eastern North Carolina District sentencing data come from?
All data comes from the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) Individual Offender Datafiles, covering fiscal years 2015 through 2024. The USSC collects case-level data from federal courts nationwide.
Learn More About Federal Sentencing
Understanding Federal Sentencing
How federal sentencing guidelines work, from offense levels to criminal history categories.
Sentencing Disparity Explained
What drives differences in sentencing outcomes between federal districts.
Reading Sentencing Data
How to interpret the statistics and comparisons in PlainSentencing.
What the Eastern North Carolina data shows
Eastern North Carolina averaged 80.8 months in FY2024 - 3.3% below the national norm for its offense mix.
- Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in FY2024 (234 cases, avg 96.9 mo), 41% of the district's total caseload. A district's offense mix is the single largest driver of its average sentence, independent of judicial philosophy. Drug Trafficking data
- 77% of Eastern North Carolina cases in FY2024 resolved by guilty plea. Cooperation agreements typically include government-sponsored downward departure motions -- the mechanism that pulls most district averages below the guideline midpoint. Plea bargaining in federal court
- Among 85 districts with sufficient caseloads, Eastern North Carolina ranked #35 by average sentence in FY2024 -- longer than 59% of federal districts. Compare on the same offense types to control for the mix. Compare with another district
Descriptive USSC aggregates, not legal advice; a district average reflects its offense mix, not court severity.
Cite this page
Free to cite and reference with attribution. Figures update automatically as new data is published, compiled from the public-domain USSC datafiles.
PlainSentencing. (FY2024). Eastern North Carolina District, Federal Sentencing Profile. PlainSentencing. Retrieved from https://plainsentencing.com/district/eastern-north-carolina/. Data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) Individual Offender Datafiles; public domain (CC0).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.