Sex Offenses · National · FY2015–FY2025
Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses
Average imposed sentence 21.4 mo in FY2025 - shorter-third average (≤ 21 mo) among 30 offense types.
- 21.4
- Avg months FY2025
- well below the national average
- 325
- Federal cases
- 50%
- Within guidelines
- typical guideline adherence
- 73%
- Guilty plea
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses ranks #16 of 30 by caseload (325 cases) and #20 of 30 by average sentence (21.4 months).
- #16
- Caseload of 30
- #20
- Avg sentence of 30
- 21.4 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 325
- 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.
Obscenity FY2024→FY2025: -0.6 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 325 | 21.4 | 20.2 | 26.5 | 50% | 9% | 41% |
| FY2024 | 339 | 22.0 | 19.9 | 26.2 | 49% | 10% | 40% |
| FY2023 | 325 | 23.6 | 22.6 | 29.1 | 50% | 9% | 40% |
| FY2022 | 340 | 22.5 | 22.1 | 28.4 | 48% | 9% | 43% |
| FY2021 | 295 | 22.6 | 21.9 | 28.4 | 50% | 7% | 43% |
| FY2020 | 318 | 19.6 | 21.0 | 27.4 | 51% | 6% | 44% |
| FY2019 | 390 | 20.5 | 20.4 | 26.7 | 61% | 4% | 35% |
| FY2018 | 381 | 19.4 | 20.5 | 26.8 | 58% | 4% | 38% |
Obscenity · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Middle Florida posts the longest average (102.0 mo, 2 cases , +376.6% vs national).
Where obscenity/other sex offenses 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.
21 49th percentile longer than 49% 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
Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Florida | 2 | 102.0 | +376.6% |
| Southern Georgia | 1 | 79.0 | +269.2% |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 66.0 | +208.4% |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 60.0 | +180.4% |
| New Jersey | 2 | 55.5 | +159.3% |
| Northern West Virginia | 6 | 47.6 | +122.4% |
| Southern Florida | 1 | 46.0 | +115.0% |
| Alaska | 5 | 42.0 | +96.3% |
| Western Arkansas | 5 | 37.4 | +74.8% |
| Guam | 1 | 37.0 | +72.9% |
| Colorado | 1 | 37.0 | +72.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 3 | 36.0 | +68.2% |
| Eastern Kentucky | 2 | 35.5 | +65.9% |
| Southern Iowa | 4 | 33.0 | +54.2% |
| Northern Iowa | 1 | 30.0 | +40.2% |
| Northern Indiana | 1 | 30.0 | +40.2% |
| Western Kentucky | 1 | 30.0 | +40.2% |
| Eastern Texas | 2 | 30.0 | +40.2% |
| Northern Georgia | 1 | 30.0 | +40.2% |
| Western Texas | 9 | 29.5 | +37.6% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(325 cases).
- Bribery/Corruption · 310 cases · Fraud/Financial
- Stalking/Harassing · 287 cases · Violent Crime
- Murder · 405 cases · Violent Crime
- Tax · 407 cases · Fraud/Financial
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(21.4 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Forgery/Counterfeiting/Copyright · 22.2 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
- Tax · 22.4 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
- Administration of Justice Offenses · 17.3 mo avg · Other
- Bribery/Corruption · 25.6 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
Same-category peers · Sex Offenses
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses data shows
In FY2025, 325 federal defendants were sentenced for obscenity/other sex offenses, with an average sentence of 21.4 months -- 30.5 months below the national average across all offenses.
- 50% of obscenity/other sex offenses sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 41% 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 obscenity/other sex offenses in FY2025 was Middle Florida, averaging 102.0 months -- 80.6 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. Middle Florida data
- The average sentence for obscenity/other sex offenses has risen 2 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 19.4 mo; FY2025: 21.4 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.