Individual and Offense Characteristics

• 79.8% of individuals sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking were men.
   
• 38.8% were Hispanic, 38.2% were White, 19.3% were Black, and 3.6% were Other races.
   
• Their average age was 39 years.
   
• 85.4% were United States citizens.
   
• 35.1% had little or no prior criminal history (Criminal History Category I); 6.6% were sentenced under the career offender guideline (§4B1.1).
   
• The median base offense level in these cases was 34, corresponding to between 5 and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine mixture or 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine actual/“ICE.”
   
• Sentences were increased for:
  • possessing a weapon (31.1%);
  • a leadership or supervisory role in the offense (4.7%).
     
• Sentences were decreased for:
  • minor or minimal participation in the offense (20.0%);
  • meeting the safety valve criteria in the sentencing guidelines (32.3%).
     
• The top five districts for methamphetamine trafficking offenses were: 
  • Southern District of California (964);
  • Northern District of Texas (484);
  • Western District of Texas (457);
  • Southern District of Texas (290);
  • Eastern District of Tennessee (248).

Punishment

• The average sentence for methamphetamine traffickers was 100 months.
   
• 98.4% were sentenced to prison.
   
• 70.0% were convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty; 50.4% of those individuals were relieved of that penalty.

Sentences Relative to the Guideline Range

• Of the 59.3% of individuals sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking under the Guidelines Manual:
  • 38.5% were sentenced within the guideline range.
     
  • 38.5% received a substantial assistance departure. 
    • Their average sentence reduction was 49.1%.
       
  • 14.2% received an Early Disposition Program (EDP) departure.[4]
    • Their average sentence reduction was 66.7%.
       
  • 8.6% received some other downward departure.
    • Their average sentence reduction was 49.5%.
       
• 40.7% received a variance; of those individuals: 
  • 99.0% received a downward variance.
    • Their average sentence reduction was 35.3%.
       
  • 1.0% received an upward variance.
    • Their average sentence increase was 57.1%.

• The average guideline minimum increased and the average sentence imposed increased over the past five years. 
  • The average guideline minimum increased from 131 months in fiscal year 2019 to 145 months in fiscal year 2023.
     
  • The average sentence was 95 months in fiscal year 2019 and 100 months in fiscal year 2023.

SOURCE: United States Sentencing Commission, FY 2019 through FY 2023 Datafiles, USSCFY19-USSCFY23.