Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues by The US Sentencing Commission

Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues: Federal Trends and Trafficking Patterns by The United States Sentencing Commission || Kristin M. Tennyson, Charles S. Ray & Kevin Maass
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The document titled "Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues: Federal Trends and Trafficking Patterns" by the United States Sentencing Commission, dated January 2021, offers a detailed examination of the trafficking and sentencing trends related to fentanyl and its analogues within the federal criminal justice system.

Key findings from the first 28 pages out of 58 include:

~> An alarming increase in fentanyl and fentanyl analogue trafficking cases, reflecting the growing issue of synthetic opioid abuse. The number of cases has risen exponentially from 24 in fiscal year 2015 to 886 in fiscal year 2019 for fentanyl, and from 4 to 233 for fentanyl analogues in the same period.

~> Legislative and judicial actions to address this issue, including amendments to sentencing guidelines and enhanced penalties for misrepresenting these substances.

~> The majority of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue offenses involved illicitly manufactured substances, with nearly all trafficked substances in 2019 being illicit.

~> A significant geographic concentration of offenses in districts along the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River Valley.

~> Distinct demographic patterns among offenders, with a notable representation of Black offenders among fentanyl and fentanyl analogue cases compared to other drug offenses.

This summary captures the introduction, key findings, and initial analysis provided in the document. For a comprehensive understanding, including specific data and analyses beyond the initial pages, the full document should be consulted.