Violent Crime · National · FY2015–FY2025
Extortion/Racketeering
57 federal cases in FY2025 - lower-third caseload (≤ 146 cases).
- 60.3
- Avg months FY2025
- above the national average
- 57
- Federal cases
- 36%
- Within guidelines
- low guideline adherence
- 75%
- Guilty plea
Extortion caseload fingerprint · FY2025
Extortion/Racketeering is in the lower third by caseload (57 cases in FY2025). Sparse counts make each district with ≥5 cases a larger share of the story. YoY volume -55 vs FY2024. Mean OL 2.9 (OL≥6 19%) on 57 rows.
- Mean CH
- 0.77
- Avg sentence
- 60.3 mo
- No prior
- 21%
- Below GL
- 52%
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Extortion/Racketeering ranks #27 of 30 by caseload (57 cases) and #12 of 30 by average sentence (60.3 months).
- #27
- Caseload of 30
- #12
- Avg sentence of 30
- 60.3 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 57
- This offense cases FY2025
Caseload rank covers every district with at least one FY case. Average-sentence rank covers districts with at least 100 cases so a thin docket cannot top the list. Offense ranks cover the 30 published guideline types. Averages follow offense mix, not court character.
Extortion FY2024→FY2025: +5.9 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 57 | 60.3 | 60.3 | 70.1 | 36% | 11% | 52% |
| FY2024 | 112 | 54.4 | 254.1 | 58.3 | 28% | 7% | 65% |
| FY2023 | 130 | 38.4 | 48.4 | 58.8 | 23% | 5% | 72% |
| FY2022 | 121 | 72.2 | 238.2 | 64.1 | 30% | 6% | 63% |
| FY2021 | 116 | 31.9 | 41.8 | 50.7 | 32% | 6% | 63% |
| FY2020 | 120 | 34.0 | 37.8 | 45.0 | 35% | 8% | 57% |
| FY2019 | 185 | 38.1 | 42.3 | 49.8 | 49% | 7% | 44% |
| FY2018 | 288 | 42.5 | 44.0 | 51.8 | 48% | 7% | 45% |
Extortion · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Western Michigan posts the longest average (272.0 mo, 1 cases , +351.1% vs national).
Where extortion/racketeering sentences sit among all federal sentences (FY2025)
Each bar counts imposed federal prison terms in that length band; the marker is this offense's average.
60 73rd percentile longer than 73% of 61,431 federal sentences
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more federal sentences. 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 · FY2025
Extortion/Racketeering - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Extortion/Racketeering cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan | 1 | 272.0 | +351.1% |
| Eastern North Carolina | 1 | 171.0 | +183.6% |
| Southern Florida | 2 | 153.5 | +154.6% |
| Northern Illinois | 3 | 142.3 | +136.0% |
| Hawaii | 2 | 105.0 | +74.1% |
| Eastern Missouri | 2 | 97.0 | +60.9% |
| Guam | 1 | 84.0 | +39.3% |
| Connecticut | 1 | 84.0 | +39.3% |
| Southern Iowa | 1 | 72.0 | +19.4% |
| Idaho | 1 | 65.3 | +8.3% |
| Eastern Arkansas | 1 | 60.0 | -0.5% |
| Eastern New York | 6 | 55.6 | -7.8% |
| Northern Ohio | 3 | 39.0 | -35.3% |
| Northern Indiana | 1 | 36.0 | -40.3% |
| Central California | 2 | 33.0 | -45.3% |
| New Jersey | 5 | 25.5 | -57.7% |
| Western Kentucky | 2 | 24.0 | -60.2% |
| Southern Texas | 1 | 24.0 | -60.2% |
| Western Pennsylvania | 2 | 24.0 | -60.2% |
| Southern New York | 8 | 22.2 | -63.3% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(57 cases).
- Burglary/Trespass · 50 cases · Other
- Food and Drug · 44 cases · Other
- Arson · 77 cases · Violent Crime
- Forgery/Counterfeiting/Copyright · 83 cases · Fraud/Financial
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(60.3 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Firearms · 53.6 mo avg · Firearms/Weapons
- Money Laundering · 68.4 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
- Arson · 71.9 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Individual Rights · 74.2 mo avg · Other
Same-category peers · Violent Crime
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Extortion/Racketeering data shows
In FY2025, 57 federal defendants were sentenced for extortion/racketeering, with an average sentence of 60.3 months -- 8.4 months above the national average across all offenses.
- 36% of extortion/racketeering sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 52% below (downward departures or variances, often for cooperation). The below-range rate reflects how frequently prosecutors offer departure motions for substantial assistance. How the guidelines work
- The highest-average district for extortion/racketeering in FY2025 was Western Michigan, averaging 272.0 months -- 211.7 months above the national average. Case-specific factors within this offense (criminal history, quantity or aggravating circumstances, cooperation) drive that gap as much as any district-level pattern; the comparison below shows the full spread. Western Michigan data
- The average sentence for extortion/racketeering has risen 17.8 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 42.5 mo; FY2025: 60.3 mo). The trend chart above compares actual sentences against the guideline midpoint each year. Post-Booker sentencing trends
Descriptive USSC aggregates, not legal advice; individual sentences depend on case-specific facts.
PlainSentencing is rendered directly from the United States Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Report a data issue on this page.