Second Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

A second man who sexually abused a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. John James Dixon, age 41, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography.

At the plea hearing, Dixon admitted that, between September 2023 and May 2024, he knowingly used, persuaded, induced, and enticed a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He also admitted that between September 2023 and May 2024, he knowingly distributed visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Dixon is the second man to plead guilty in this case. On December 18, 2024, Justin James Paisley, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. At Paisley's plea hearing, he admitted that between the spring of 2022 and May 2024, he knowingly used, persuaded, induced, and enticed minors under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Paisley also admitted that between August 2023 and May 2024, he knowingly distributed visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set for both Dixon and Paisley after a presentence report is prepared. Dixon and Paisley remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. They each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years' imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $95,200 in special assessments, and life term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR-1032.

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