A second man from Dubuque, Iowa, has admitted guilt in a federal court in Cedar Rapids for crimes related to the sexual exploitation of a child. John James Dixon, 41, was convicted on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and distributing child pornography.
During his plea hearing, Dixon confessed that between September 2023 and May 2024, he engaged a minor under 18 in sexually explicit activities. He also acknowledged distributing images of minors involved in such conduct during the same period.
Dixon follows Justin James Paisley, 35, also from Dubuque, who pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024. Paisley admitted to similar offenses between spring 2022 and May 2024 and to distributing explicit images between August 2023 and May 2024.
The prosecutions are part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative by the Department of Justice began in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project unites federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and assist victims. More details can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Both men await sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams after presentence reports are completed. They remain in custody with potential sentences ranging from a mandatory minimum of 15 years to a maximum of 50 years imprisonment. Additional penalties include fines up to $500,000, special assessments totaling $95,200 each, and supervised release for life post-incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake is leading the prosecution with investigations conducted by the Dubuque Police Department.