Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bulletin

December 2007, NCJ 219412

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Federal Prosecution of Child Sex 

Exploitation Offenders, 2006

Mark Motivans, Ph.D., 

and Tracey Kyckelhahn, 

BJS Statisticians

During 2006, 3,661 suspects were referred to U.S. attorneys for child sex exploitation offenses. Child pornography 

constituted 69% of referrals, followed by sex abuse (16%) 

and sex transportation (14%). Almost 6 in 10 child sex 

crime suspects were prosecuted in 2006, up from 4 in 10 in 

1994. Nine of 10 defendants were convicted and sentenced 

to prison, up from 8 in 10 in 1994. The median prison sentence imposed increased from 36 months to 63 months 

over this period. Most suspects charged with sex exploitation were white, male, U.S. citizens, and had attended 

some college.

In this bulletin, Federal child sex exploitation offenses 

include child pornography, sex transportation, and sex 

abuse. Data from the Executive Office for United States 

Attorneys, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and 

the U.S. Sentencing Commission were used to describe 

Federal prosecution of child sex exploitation crimes. Congressional authority to regulate interstate commerce, 

including the mail, is the basis for Federal prosecution of 

child pornography. Federal jurisdiction over certain child 

sex abuse offenses is limited to the military, national parks, 

and Native American reservations. (See Methodology for 

selected Federal criminal sex exploitation statutes.) 

Child sex offenses among the fastest growing offenses 

of the Federal criminal caseload from 1994 to 2006

Child sex offenses constituted a relatively small share of 

the Federal criminal caseload. A total of 2,039 suspects 

were prosecuted for Federal sex offenses in 2006, representing about 2.5% of the 83,148 suspects prosecuted in 

Federal courts (figure 1). Suspects arrested and booked by 

the U.S. Marshals Service for a sex offense increased from 

431 in 1994 to 2,191 in 2006. This was a 15% annual average increase, making sex offenses among the fastest 

growing crimes handled by the Federal justice system. 

Child pornography made up 69% of sex offenses 

referred to U.S. attorneys in 2006 

The main sex exploitation offense referred to U.S. attorneys shifted from sex abuse (73%) in 1994 to child pornography (69%) in 2006. Child pornography matters accounted 

for 82% of the growth in sex exploitation matters referred 

from 1994 to 2006 (table 1). Sex transportation referrals 

accounted for 17% and sex abuse accounted for 1% of the 

growth over this period.

Federal prosecutions of child sex exploitation offenders

Figure 1

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

0

500

1,000

1,500

Child pornography

Sex transportation

Sex abuse

Number of suspects in matters prosecuted

Note: Includes matters with a child sex exploitation

offense as lead charge.

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys,

National LIONS database, fiscal year 2006.

Table 1. Suspects referred to U.S. attorneys with sex 

exploitation offense as lead charge, 1994 and 2006

2006 1994 Percent growth*

Lead charge Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total 3,661 100 % 774 100 % 2,887 100 %

Child 

pornography 2,539 69.4 169 21.8 2,370 82.1

Sex abuse 601 16.4 568 73.4 33 1.1

Sex 

transportation 521 14.2 37 4.8 484 16.8

*Percent growth is the distribution of the increase in referrals from 1994 

to 2006. 

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National LIONS 

database, fiscal year 2006
2 Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006

The FBI referred more than half of all sex exploitation 

suspects for prosecution in 2006

Several Federal agencies investigate sex exploitation 

offenses, primarily the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

(FBI) in the Department of Justice, U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspections Services 

(USPIS). The FBI referred about half of all sex exploitation 

suspects to U.S. attorneys for prosecution in both 1994 

and 2006 (figure 2). Since Homeland Security was created 

in March 2003, it has referred an increasing number of sex 

exploitation suspects, referring nearly a third (32% or 

1,182) of sex exploitation suspects in 2006. Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement investigated the majority (967) 

of the referrals made by Homeland Security. 

Federal task forces integral in investigating and 

prosecuting computer-facilitated crimes against 

children

In the 1980s the mail was the primary means of distributing 

child pornography. The Child Protection Act of 1984

expanded the U.S. Postal Inspector’s role in investigating 

those who knowingly sent and received child pornography 

through the mail. Over the past two decades, the dramatic 

increase in Internet availability provided a relatively anonymous forum for instantaneous exchange of pornographic 

images that more easily circumvented authorities. Federal 

task forces have been integral in investigating and prosecuting computer-facilitated crimes against children.

Federal legislation, programs, and task forces over time 

have focused on enhancing penalties for child sex exploitation and increasing enforcement coordination:

• The FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative, created in 

1995, deploys specialized units in each of its 56 field 

offices to investigate crimes against children. 

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is 

a national resource for law enforcement, including the 

Cyber Tipline which receives tips from the public on child 

sex exploitation. 

• Project Safe Childhood, created in 2006, is a Department 

of Justice initiative seeking to maximize the Federal 

response in prosecuting child sex exploitation. 

• Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces are 

composed of Federal, State, and local law enforcement 

agencies. There are 56 ICAC task forces in all 50 states. 

• Operation Predator, conducted by ICE, was created in 

2003 by Homeland Security to target child sex tourism and 

child pornography networks. The project is supported by a 

clearinghouse of seized images used to assist in the identification of victims.

2,039 sex exploitation suspects were prosecuted in 

2006, up from 313 in 1994

Overall, 57% (2,039) of sex exploitation suspects in matters concluded by U.S. attorneys were prosecuted, an 

increase from 40% (313) prosecuted in 1994 (figure 3). By 

comparison, 59% of the 141,130 suspects in all matters 

concluded by U.S. attorneys in 2006 were prosecuted. 

Prosecution rates varied by offenses charged in 2006: violent (59%), drug (77%), property (55%), immigration (51%), 

weapons (69%), and public order (41%). From 1994 to 

2006, drug, weapons, and violent suspects were prosecuted at greater rates than sex exploitation suspects.

Suspects were prosecuted at different rates depending on 

the sex offense involved. Sex transportation suspects had 

the highest prosecution rate (62%), followed by suspects 

charged with child pornography (59%) and sex abuse 

(46%) (table 2). Across types of sex offenses, about 4% of 

matters concluded were disposed by a U.S. magistrate, 

which are defined by statute as misdemeanors. 

Table 2. Suspects in matters concluded by U.S. attorneys 

with a sex exploitation offense as lead charge, 2006

Total 

Sex 

abuse

Child

pornography

Sex 

transportation

Total 3,598 655 2,376 567

Prosecuted 56.7% 45.8% 58.5% 61.6%

Declined for 

prosecution 39.4 50.4 37.8 33.7

Disposed by U.S. 

magistrate 3.9 3.8 3.7 4.8

Note: Includes matters with a sex exploitation offense as lead charge.

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National LIONS database, 

fiscal year 2006.

Figure 2

Note: The Homeland Security Act of 2002 moved Immigration and

Customs Enforcement (formerly INS) from the Department of

Treasury to Homeland Security in March 2003. Other includes the

U.S. Postal Service, Interior, Defense, state and local law

enforcement, and other agencies.

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National LIONS

database, fiscal year 2006.

Number of suspects in sex offense matters referred

Homeland

Justice

Other

Treasury

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Security
Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006 3

Thirty-nine percent of all sex exploitation matters were 

declined for prosecution by U.S. attorneys in 2006

The decision to decline to prosecute a suspect is influenced by various factors, such as weak or insufficient evidence or lack of resources. Suspects in 30% of matters 

concluded in 2006 were declined due to weak or inadmissible evidence (table 3). A fifth (20%) of matters concluded 

were declined due to lack of evidence of criminal intent (no 

crime established), and 15% were referred or handled in 

other prosecutions. 

More than half of sex abuse declinations were due to weak 

evidence. In comparison, weak evidence was stated as the 

reason for 24% of declinations for child pornography and 

20% of declinations for sex transportation. 

Just over half of sex exploitation defendants received 

pretrial release prior to case disposition

The court considers the nature and circumstances of the 

offense, the defendant’s family ties, ties to the community, 

past conduct, and other factors in determining release prior 

to case disposition. (See The Bail Reform Act of 1984, 18 

U.S.C. § 3141.) A third (33%) of all defendants received 

release prior to case disposition, compared to 53% for sex 

exploitation offenders and 67% for property offenders 

(figure 4). Of sex exploitation defendants terminating pretrial release in 2006, 11% received a violation and 7% had 

their pretrial release revoked. Sex exploitation defendants 

had lower rates of violation and revocation than violent, 

drug, weapons, and immigration defendants (figure 5).

Table 3. Sex exploitation suspects declined for prosecution 

by U.S. attorneys, by reason, 2006

Basis for declination Total

Sex 

abuse

Child

pornography

Sex transportation

Number of declinations 1,419 330 898 191

Lack evidence of criminal 

intent 19.7% 14.2% 22.7% 15.2%

Prosecuted on other 

charges 15.0 3.6 18.7 17.3

No Federal offense

 evident 4.9 6.4 4.1 6.3

Weak/inadmissible 

evidence 30.4 53.0 24.3 20.4

Agency request 8.3 2.7 10.5 7.3

Other* 21.6 20.0 19.7 33.5

*Other includes lack of investigative resources, jurisdiction or venue 

problems, witness problems, and unspecified reasons.

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National LIONS database, 

fiscal year 2006.

Figure 3 

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Violent

Weapons Drug

Sex exploitation

Percent of suspects prosecuted

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National

LIONS database, fiscal year 2006.

Figure 4 

Percent of defendants released prior to trial by offense

Immigration

Weapons

Drug

Property

Sex exploitation

Violent

Total

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts,

Pretrial Services data file, fiscal year 2006.

Figure 5

Immigration

Weapons

Drug

Property

Sex exploitation 

Violent

Total

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Pretrial release violation

Pretrial release revocation

Percent of defendants terminating pretrial release

by offense and outcome

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts,

Pretrial Services data file, fiscal year 2006.
4 Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006

Table 4. Federally recognized tribes and enrolled members, 2003

Tribal entities Tribe Enrollment Tribal population under age 16

Federal judicial 

district Number Percent Number Percent

District 

rank Number

Percent 

of total 

enrollment

District 

rank

Total 563 100% 1,923,650 100% -- 468,963 100% -

Arizona 23 3.9 264,984 13.8 2 70,980 15.1 2

New Mexico 25 4.2 170,162 8.8 3 41,004 8.7 4

South Dakota 8 1.3 105,068 5.5 4 34,040 7.3 5

Montana 8 1.3 65,299 3.4 5 13,398 2.9 6

All other districts 529 89.2 1,318,137 68.5 -- 309,541 66.0 -

Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. American Indian Population and Labor 

Force Report, 2003, available at http://www.doj.gov/bia/laborforce/2003LaborForceReportFinalall.pdf

Table 5. American Indian or Alaska Native defendants arraigned in Federal 

court for sex abuse, 2006

Federal judicial district Total arraigned

Percent American 

Indian/Alaska Native

Total 249 70.7%

Arizona 37 86.5

New Mexico 38 86.8

South Dakota 37 91.9

Montana 13 100.0

All other districts 124 50.0

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Pretrial Services data file, fiscal year 2006.

Federal sex abuse investigations were greater in judicial districts with tribal populations

Due to unique jurisdictional issues, sex offenses 

committed in Indian Country may be investigated by 

tribal police, state or local law enforcement, or Federal 

law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs (BIA). Likewise prosecutions of these cases 

can occur in the Federal, State, or Tribal courts. 

The Federal judicial district of South Dakota handled 

21% of sex abuse matters concluded by U.S. 

attorneys. Arizona handled 18%; New Mexico, 14%; 

and Montana, 5% (figure 6). These 4 Federal judicial 

districts handled nearly 3 of 5 sex abuse matters 

concluded by U.S. attorneys from 2004 to 2006. 

In 2003, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, and New 

Mexico contained 11% of the 593 Federally 

recognized tribal entities and 32% of the total 1.9 

million tribal enrollment (table 4). Thirty-four percent of 

the enrolled tribal population under age 16 resided on 

or near reservations in the four Federal judicial 

districts that handled about 60% of sex abuse matters.

Nearly three-quarters of the sex abuse defendants 

arraigned in Federal court in 2006 were American 

Indian or Alaska Native (table 5). Of the 249 

defendants arraigned in 2006 with a sex abuse 

offense, about half were from four Federal judicial 

districts: New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, and South 

Dakota. Ninety percent of defendants arraigned in 

these four districts were American Indian/Alaska 

Native.

Fifty-eight percent of Federal sex abuse suspects in matters 

concluded were in 4 Federal judicial districts,

2004-2006

Note: There were 2,060 suspects in matters concluded with sex abuse as 

lead charge from 2004 to 2006.

Source: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National LIONS database, 

fiscal years 2004-2006.

Figure 6

0 26 - 100

1 - 25 > 101

Number of sex abuse suspects in

by Federal judicial district, 2004-2006

matters concluded by U.S. attorneys

District of 

Arizona (18%)

District of New

Mexico (14%)

District of South

Dakota (21%)

District of 

Montana (5%)
Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006 5

Most suspects charged with child pornography were 

white, male, and had attended some college

The median age for sex exploitation offenders was 39 

years (table 6). One in five had a prior felony conviction. 

Compared to all suspects arraigned in 2006, sex exploitation offenders were on average older and less likely to 

have a prior felony conviction (not shown in table).

Eighty-nine percent of arrestees charged with child pornography were white, 99% were male, and 58% had 

attended some college. The median age at arraignment 

was 42 years.

Suspects charged with sex abuse tended to be younger, 

American Indian or Alaska Native, and less educated. 

Nearly three-quarters of Federal sex abuse defendants 

were American Indian or Alaska Native. The median age 

at arraignment was 29 years.

Most suspects charged with sex transportation offenses 

were white (70%). Twelve percent of sex transportation 

suspects were non-U.S. citizens, and 9% were female. 

The median age at arraignment was 36 years. Twenty-six 

percent of sex transportation defendants had a prior felony 

conviction compared to 20% of pornography defendants 

and 21% of sex abuse defendants. 

Over the past decade adjudications for child sex 

exploitation offenses nearly quadrupled 

During 2006, 1,850 defendants were adjudicated for child 

sex exploitation offenses, up from 472 in 1996. Child pornography defendants represented 65% of all sex exploitation defendants adjudicated in 2006, followed by sex transportation defendants (20%) and sex abuse (15%) 

defendants. Ninety-three percent of sex exploitation defendants were convicted, up from 87% in 1996. 

From 1996 to 2006 a greater percent of convictions for 

sex offenses resulted from pleas than from trials 

In 2006, child pornography defendants were more likely to 

be convicted (95%) than sex transportation (92%) and sex 

abuse (86%) defendants (table 7). The conviction rate 

increased for sex abuse defendants from 81% in 1996 to 

86% in 2006 while the conviction rate decreased slightly 

for child pornography defendants (from 97% in 1996 to 

95% in 2006). Sex transportation defendants were convicted at about the same rate for the two periods (91% in 

1996; 92% in 2006). Nine of ten defendants who were not 

convicted had their cases dismissed.

All three types of offenses had a greater percent of convictions resulting from pleas than from trials between 1996 

and 2006. The greatest increase in pleas over this period 

was for sex transportation cases. In 2006, 92% of child 

pornography defendants were convicted through a plea. 

Eighty-six percent of sex transportation defendants and 

76% of sex abuse defendants pled guilty. 

Convicted sex offenders sentenced to prison 

increased from 81% in 1996 to 96% in 2006

Federal penalties include prison, probation, restitution, civil 

and criminal fines and forfeiture, and civil remedies for personal injuries. From 1996 to 2006 the percent of cases 

sentenced to prison increased from 81% to 96%. Over the 

same period probation decreased from 18% to 4% of sentences imposed. 

Child pornography represented the largest increase in persons receiving a prison sentence —77% were sent to 

prison in 1996 compared with 97% in 2006. The percent 

sent to prison for sex transportation increased from 91% in 

1996 to 98% in 2006. Defendants convicted of sex abuse 

received prison 83% of the time in 1996 compared with 

86% in 2006.

Table 6. Characteristics of Federal sex exploitation 

defendants at initial hearing, 2006

Defendant

characteristics Total

Sex 

abuse

Child pornographySex transportation

Number of defendants 1,863 249 1,275 339

Gender

Male 97.0% 96.4% 98.7% 91.2%

Female 3.0 3.6 1.3 8.8

Race

White* 75.8% 15.9% 88.9% 70.2%

Black/African American* 4.9 2.9 3.2 12.5

Hispanic 8.1 8.9 6.6 13.1

American Indian/Alaska 

Native* 9.9 70.7 0.3 1.5

Asian/Native Hawaiian/ 

other Pacific Islanders* 1.3 1.6 1.0 2.7

Age

Under 21 5.0% 21.7% 2.8% 1.5%

 21-30 23.2 29.3 20.2 30.1

31-40 24.1 23.3 23.1 28.6

41-50 23.6 14.9 25.5 23.0

51-60 16.8 6.4 19.9 12.4

Over 60 7.3 4.4 8.5 4.4

Median age 39yrs 29yrs 42yrs 36yrs

Education level

Less than high school 

graduate 14.0% 48.1% 7.9% 13.7%

High school graduate 34.1 31.6 34.0 36.5

Some college 29.6 15.6 33.0 26.0

College graduate 22.3 4.7 25.1 23.9

Citizenship

U.S. citizen 95.8% 96.3% 97.7% 88.5%

Non-U.S. citizen 4.2 3.7 2.3 11.5

Criminal record

No prior felony conviction 78.6% 78.6% 79.9% 74.0%

Prior felony conviction 21.4 21.4 20.1 26.0

Note: Percents based on non-missing data.

*Excludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Pretrial Services data 

file, fiscal year 2006.
6 Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006

66% of sex abuse defendants received a sentencing 

enhancement because a victim was under age 16

Over half of sex abuse defendants sentenced under U.S. 

Sentencing Guidelines had a victim under age 12 (table 8). 

Two-thirds (66%) of these defendants received a sentencing enhancement because a victim was under age 16. 

More than a third (37%) was sentenced for having a victim 

in their custody, care, or supervision.

Two in three child pornography defendants were sentenced 

for having 10 or more items, such as books, magazines, or 

films. Ninety-five percent were sentenced for materials 

depicting a minor under age 12, and 97% were sentenced 

for the use of a computer in the offense. Nearly 3 of 4 sentenced sex transportation defendants used a computer 

interactive service in the offense; 7% were sentenced for 

having a victim in their custody, care, or supervision. 

Table 7. Verdict, disposition, and sentence received in cases concluded with a Federal sex exploitation offense, 1996 and 2006

Disposition 

and sentence

Total Sex abuse Child pornography Sex transportation

2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996

Cases concluded

Number 1,850 472 276 276 1,209 161 365 35

Convicted 93.1% 87.1% 86.2% 80.8% 95.1% 96.9% 91.8% 91.4%

Plea 88.6 77.1 76.1 70.7 92.2 91.3 86.0 62.8

Trial 4.5 10.0 10.1 10.1 2.9 5.6 5.8 28.6

Not convicted 6.9 12.9 13.8 19.2 4.9 3.1 8.2 8.6

Dismissed 6.2 8.3 11.2 11.6 4.5 3.1 8.0 5.7

Trial 0.7 4.7 2.6 7.6 0.4 0 0.2 2.9

Sentence imposeda

 Number 1,723 411 238 223 1,150 156 335 32

Prisonb 95.7% 81.4% 86.4% 83.3% 97.1% 76.8% 97.6% 90.6%

Probation only 4.0 17.6 13.2 16.2 2.7 21.3 2.1 9.4

Fine only 0.2 1.0 0.4 0.5 0.2 1.9 0.3 0

Median prison sentence imposed (mos.) 63 mos 33 mos 70 mos 44 mos 63 mos 15 mos 60 mos 60 mos

Note: Includes cases with a child exploitation statute as one of five offenses at termination. Percents based on non-missing data. aBased on the number convicted.

bIncludes all sentences to incarceration, including split sentences.

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, criminal master file, fiscal year 2006.

Table 8. Offense characteristics of sentenced sex exploitation 

offenders, by type of offense

Offense characteristic

Percent of sentenced 

defendants

Sex abuse involving—

Victims age 

11 or younger 51%

12 to 15 15

16 or older 34

Victim in offenders custody, care, or supervision 37%

Number of defendantsa 150

Child pornography involving—

Books, magazine, films

Less than 10 35%

10 or more 65

Depiction of minor under age 12 95%

Use of computer 97%

Number of defendantsb 1,012

Sex transportation involving— 

Victim in offenders custody, care, or supervision 7%

Use of computer 72%

Fraud/force or commission of sex act 38%

Minor under age 12 5%

Number of defendantsc 180

aSentenced under §2A3.1 or §2A3.4 as primary guideline.

bSentenced under §2G2.2 or §2G2.4 as primary guideline.

cSentenced under §2G1.3 or §2G1.1 as primary guideline.

Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission monitoring file, fiscal year 2006.
Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006 7

Methodology

The Federal Justice Statistics Program (FJSP) database 

compiles comprehensive information on individuals processed through the Federal justice system from source 

files provided by the Executive Office for United States 

Attorneys (EOUSA), the Administrative Office of the United 

States Courts (AOUSC), the United States Sentencing 

Commission (USSC), and other agencies.

In this report, sex exploitation offenders were defined 

according to selected Federal criminal statutes. (See textbox on page 8.). For the offenses sex abuse and illegal sex 

transportation, data limitations did not permit subsetting 

statutes pertaining only to child victims. Statistics on these 

categories are overcounted to the extent persons 18 years 

and older were victims of the offense. For suspects in matters referred to U.S. attorneys, the “lead charge” is the 

basis for investigation and for which at least 1 hour of 

investigation time was spent. As secondary charges are 

not available, child sex exploitation is undercounted to the 

extent it is present as a secondary charge. 

AOUSC data were used to describe the distribution of sex 

exploitation defendants in cases adjudicated and sentenced. The “most serious terminating offense” designation 

is the offense that yields the maximum statutory penalty. 

The USSC provided data on sex exploitation defendants 

sentenced under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Data 

do not permit the identification of sex exploitation suspects/

defendants residing in Indian Country. 

Recent legislation increased penalties for sex offenses against children 

• The Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 

1998 increased penalties for offenses against children and 

for repeat offenders including pornography, sex transportation, and abuse. 

• The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 added sex 

trafficking of children (18 U.S.C. §1591) as a Federal 

offense with penalties of up to life in prison. 

The Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the 

Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act of 2003 

increased penalties for first time offenders producing child 

pornography, U.S. citizens traveling abroad to engage in 

sex with a minor and included a “two strikes” provision 

requiring life sentence for offenders with 2 prior serious 

child sex offenses. 

Figure 7

• The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 

2006 substantially increased mandatory minimum prison 

terms for child prostitution, sex abuse, sex trafficking of 

children and distribution of child pornography. The act 

eliminated the statute of limitations for most child sex 

offenses.

Median prison term for Federal sex exploitation 

offenses more than doubled from 1996 to 2006

In 2006, the median prison sentence imposed was 

greatest for sex abuse offenses (70 months) followed by 

child pornography (63 months) and sex transportation (60 

months). The median sentenced for sex transportation 

was 60 months in 2006 and 1996. The median sentence 

increased from 44 to 70 months for sex abuse and from 15 

to 63 months for child pornography. In comparison, 

median prison terms for drug and weapon offenders 

remained stable and increased for violent offenses.

Figure 8

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Number of sex exploitation defendants sentenced to prison

Note: Based on most serious offense at conviction.

Source: Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts,

criminal master file, fiscal year 2006.

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

0

25

50

75

Violent

Drug

Sex exploitation

Immigration

Property

Median prison sentence imposed in months

Note: Based on most serious offense at conviction.

Source: Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts,

criminal master file, fiscal year 2006. .
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, DC 20531

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8 Federal Prosecution of Child Sex Exploitation Offenders, 2006

This report in portable document format and in ASCII 

and its related statistical data and tables are available 

at the BJS World Wide Web Internet site: <http://

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/fpcseo06.htm>.

Office of Justice Programs

Innovation • Partnerships • Safer Neighborhoods

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov

The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical 

agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Jeffrey L. 

Sedgwick is director.

BJS Bulletins present the first release of findings from 

permanent data collection programs.

This Bulletin was written by Mark Motivans, Ph.D., 

and Tracey Kyckelhahn. Tina Dorsey produced and 

edited the report, under the supervision of Doris J. 

James. Jayne Robinson prepared the report for final 

printing.

December 2007, NCJ 219412

Selected Federal criminal sex exploitation statutes 

• Child Pornography

- 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251 & 2251A: Sexual exploitation of 

children and selling or buying of children. 

- 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252 & 2252A & 2252B: Production, 

distribution, and possession of child pornography. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2260: Production of child pornography 

for importation into the United States. 

• Sex Abuse 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2241: Aggravated sexual abuse. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2242: Sexual abuse. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2243: Sexual abuse of a minor or ward. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2244: Abusive sexual contact. 

• Transportation for Illegal Sexual Activity

- 18 U.S.C. § 1591: Sex trafficking of children or by 

force, fraud, or coercion. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2422: Coercion and enticement. 

- 18 U.S.C. § 2423: Transportation of minors. Includes 

engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign countries.