National Average Sentence
9.2 months
FY2024 · 137 cases
National federal sentencing data · FY2015–FY2024 · Source: USSC
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 137 | 9.2 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 16% | 50% | 0% |
| FY2023 | 159 | 10.3 | 16.4 | 14.5 | 10% | 48% | 0% |
| FY2022 | 153 | 9.8 | 16.4 | 16.9 | 12% | 41% | 0% |
| FY2021 | 173 | 5.0 | 12.9 | 12.6 | 14% | 50% | 0% |
| FY2020 | 137 | 7.1 | 14.3 | 15.2 | 7% | 38% | 0% |
| FY2019 | 178 | 8.3 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 7% | 51% | 0% |
| FY2018 | 190 | 8.1 | 12.3 | 13.6 | 12% | 39% | 0% |
Antitrust is categorized under Other in the USSC guidelines. Sentencing ranges depend on the specific offense level, criminal history category, and applicable adjustments.
National Average Sentence
9.2 months
FY2024 · 137 cases
Guideline Compliance
16%
Within USSC range
22 cases
68 upward departures
0 downward departures
Average sentences for Antitrust by district. Districts with fewer than 5 cases excluded.
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Alabama | 9 | 28.3 | +207.5% |
| Northern Alabama | 3 | 15.0 | +63.0% |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 13.0 | +41.3% |
| Southern Texas | 1 | 12.0 | +30.4% |
| Nebraska | 2 | 7.8 | -14.7% |
| Utah | 3 | 7.6 | -17.8% |
| Southern West Virginia | 2 | 7.5 | -18.5% |
| Northern New York | 5 | 6.0 | -34.6% |
| Eastern California | 2 | 6.0 | -34.8% |
| Northern California | 2 | 6.0 | -34.8% |
| Western Texas | 13 | 5.6 | -39.4% |
| New Mexico | 9 | 4.8 | -47.5% |
| Western North Carolina | 12 | 4.0 | -56.5% |
| Nevada | 2 | 4.0 | -56.5% |
| Middle Pennsylvania | 1 | 2.9 | -69.0% |
| Guam | 1 | 2.0 | -78.3% |
| Middle Louisiana | 3 | 1.0 | -89.2% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 1.0 | -89.2% |
| Oregon | 1 | 1.0 | -89.2% |
| New Jersey | 1 | 0.0 | -99.7% |
Across all federal district courts in FY2024, Antitrust offenses produced 137 sentenced cases with a national average imposed sentence of 9.2 months. The applicable guideline range for these cases averaged 12.1 months at the low end and 12.7 months at the high end, placing the actual mean sentence below the average guideline window. This offense category is classified by the USSC under Other.
Guideline compliance for Antitrust broke down as follows in FY2024: 16% of sentences landed within the prescribed range, 50% were above-guideline (upward departures or variances), and 0% were below-guideline. Guilty pleas resolved 77% of cases, a metric that reflects how few federal defendants in this offense category proceed to trial. Below-guideline sentences are typically the result of either government-sponsored departures (such as substantial assistance under USSG §5K1.1) or judge-initiated variances under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), a framework formalized after United States v. Booker (2005).
District-level variation is the key signal beneath these national numbers: across the 20 districts with at least 5 cases in FY2024, the district comparison table above shows how average sentences for Antitrust diverge from the national benchmark. Because individual sentencing outcomes depend on the defendant's criminal history category, offense-level adjustments, the specific statutes of conviction, and any cooperation, these aggregate figures describe patterns, not predictions for any single case. This data is presented for research and educational purposes only and is not legal advice.
Related federal offenses with the same USSC classification. Compare sentencing patterns across similar crimes.
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2024.
Source: USSC Commission Datafiles · How we compute these metrics
How federal sentencing guidelines work, from offense levels to criminal history categories.
What drives differences in sentencing outcomes between federal districts.
How to interpret the statistics and comparisons in PlainSentencing.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.