Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Dubuque man, Justin James Paisley, 35, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting two children. Paisley had previously pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024, to charges of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography.
During the sentencing hearing, evidence revealed that from spring 2022 to May 2024, Paisley and his co-conspirator John Dixon engaged in multiple incidents involving a prepubescent child. They documented these acts through photographs and videos and exchanged them via text messages. Additionally, Paisley photographed another prepubescent child in explicit conduct and sent the image to Dixon.
Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Paisley in Cedar Rapids to 540 months' imprisonment with an additional 10-year supervised release period following his prison term. In the federal system, there is no option for parole.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse. This project unites federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Paisley remains in custody under the United States Marshal's supervision until his transfer to a federal prison.
John Dixon's sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2025. He remains in custody pending this hearing. Dixon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to a maximum of 50 years imprisonment along with potential fines totaling $500,000 and special assessments amounting to $95,200; he also faces a possible life term of supervised release after any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake with investigation support from the Dubuque Police Department.
