Staten Island Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Justin Dixon was sentenced by Judge William F. Kuntz, II, to 15 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Dixon operated as a “pimp,” using violence and threats of violence to compel the commission of commercial sex acts, including by minors as young as 14 years old.  Dixon pled guilty to the charges in November 2024.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for the violence and cruelty to women and children caused by his unthinkable actions,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “It is the hope of our Office that Dixon’s extensive prison sentence brings some measure of comfort to his victims.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance during the investigation.

“Justin Dixon forced multiple women, including a 14-year-old minor, to engage in sexual acts for his own financial gain, wielding threats of violence to maintain control,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Dixon repeatedly violated his victims’ autonomy through degrading and manipulative grooming techniques designed to entrap them into his servitude.  May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s commitment to continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable any sexual predator who targets and uses others for personal financial enrichment.”

“Today’s sentencing further affirms the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to protecting the survivors of sex trafficking,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “And the message is clear: Anyone who would seek to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially our youth – will be held fully accountable.  I thank and commend our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District, for their tireless work in bringing this criminal to justice.”  

As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court documents, in January 2023, Dixon forced his victims to commit commercial sex acts and used violence and threats of violence to ensure compliance with his orders.  Specifically, he compelled the commission of commercial sex acts by a 14-year-old minor victim (“Jane Doe”) for his financial benefit.  Dixon transported the minor victim—as well as other women—to a small geographical area off of Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, which is known as the “Penn Track” or the “Blade.”  Dixon then forced Jane Doe and other women to engage in prostitution and demanded that the proceeds of prostitution be turned over to him. Any resistance from the victims was met with violence.

Dixon used social media and other internet applications to recruit Jane Doe and other potential victims, groom them and manipulate them into working for him as prostitutes.  In or about January 2023, law enforcement officers rescued Jane Doe from a house in Staten Island where she, along with other adult females, was being held against her will by Dixon.  At the house on Staten Island, the defendant used force and threats of force against Jane Doe to maintain control over her.  Dixon forced Jane Doe and the other adult females residing in the house to cook, clean and bathe him.  The defendant would not allow the women to be clothed inside the house and would physically punish the women if they disobeyed any of these rules.  Furthermore, despite being previously convicted of a felony, Dixon possessed firearms and brandished these firearms in front of Jane Doe and the other victims.

Dixon further abused Jane Doe, calling her “tiny” and overfeeding her to attempt to make her appear older than her age.  He forced her to take unidentified pills to increase her appetite and stated he was arranging for Jane Doe to have plastic surgery to make her look older.  At the Penn Track, Dixon directed when, where and with whom commercial sex acts would be performed.  Dixon collected and kept to himself all payments for the commercial sex acts.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Lorena Michelen is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JUSTIN DIXON
Age:  34
Staten Island, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-090 (WFK)