46-year-old woman gets 1 to 5 years for rape and battery of 17-year-old boy
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ST. ANTHONY — A 46-year-old woman will serve at least one year in prison from her five-year sentence after accepting a plea agreement in a case involving rape and sexual exploitation of a child.
Denys Dixon was originally charged in April 2025 with 10 felony counts of rape, felony sexual battery of a minor and felony sexual exploitation of a minor.
Court documents detail that Dixon had sex with a 17-year-old victim 10 times and knew that the victim was a minor. It also states that the 45-year-old had also shared nude images of the victim with another adult.
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In November, Dixon accepted a plea agreement in which nine of the rape charges were dismissed, along with a sexual battery charge, in exchange for a guilty plea on the remaining charges.
District Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Dixon to one year fixed and four years indeterminate for each of the two felony charges, to run concurrently.
Dixon will also have to register as a sex offender.
Dixon’s remarks
Dixon was given a chance to make a statement to the court before her sentence was handed down; she thanked Boyce, and that was her statement.
State Recommendation
Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake told the court that, per the plea agreement, the state would recommend that Dixon be placed on a retained jurisdiction after talking early on in the case with the victim.
Blake said the victim contacted the prosecutor’s office at the start of Dixon’s arrest, but recent attempts to contact him have failed. As the sentencing hearing began, she said no victim impact statements had been filed because communication with the victim had been lost.
The plea agreement recommendations stemmed from those early conversations with the victim.
Blake said that the victim, who is now an adult, had told the prosecutor that he did not want the harshest penalty for Dixon. When discussing the options of probation or a retained jurisdiction, Blake said the victim liked the option of the latter more, as he had expressed concerns for Dixon to get treatment and rehabilitation.
Discussing aspects of the case, Blake said Dixon and the victim began a relationship four months before the victim turned 18. Blake said the victim had talked about it, but because of his age, he wasn’t in a position to make those kinds of decisions.
Looking at the psychosexual evaluation, Blake said that Dixon was ranked at a low risk for recidivism and is amenable to treatment. Dixon also has no other criminal cases on her record.
Additionally, the state recommended placing Dixon on retained jurisdiction and, upon successful completion, be placed on probation for a period of six years with 180 days of discretionary time. The underlying sentence would have been three years fixed and three years indeterminate.
Defense’s recommendation
Before giving his recommendation, Dixon’s attorney, Joshua Gardner, told the court his concerns about Dixon’s health due to her complicated medical history.
Gardner acknowledged that the documentation provided for the presentence investigation totaled 600 pages of medical information about his client’s health.
Since her arrest, Gardner said that Dixon suffered a medical emergency due to her condition of brittle diabetes, which resulted in her being taken to a nearby hospital, where she flatlined and had to be resuscitated.
He fears that due to the number of medications, around 10, and her other conditions —which include asthma and seizures— that she could die if Boyce decides to hand down a lengthy sentence.
While this information is not meant to minimize her actions, Gardner believes the court must weigh it heavily when deciding Dixon’s sentence.
In the presentence investigation, Dixon told the investigator she was remorseful and took accountability for her actions.
Since his client’s arrest, Gardner said she has taken steps to take accountability and responsibility for her actions, and that this one decision should not define who she is.
Referencing the presentence investigation, he said Dixon has other criminal charges, has been employed full-time, and, in letters of support for his client, describes her as kind, thoughtful and responsible.
Looking at the psychosexual evaluation, it places Dixon as low risk to reoffend. The document also lists that Dixon’s actions were not done in a predatory manner, but related to issues of substance abuse and cognitive processing limitations.
Dealing with alcohol abuse, Gardner said Dixon has made significant strides toward becoming and maintaining her sobriety since last year and has been in treatment and counseling programs in Washington.
Through probation, Gardner believes that Dixon can continue to take accountability and work on rehabilitation while serving out her sentence.
He recommended a sentence of two years fixed and three years indeterminate, and that Dixon be placed on probation for five years.
After her sentence, Dixon will still have to register as a sex offender, which Gardner said will allow her to be monitored and accountable to the community.
Boyces remarks
Before handing down Dixon’s sentence, Boyce discussed the complexities of the case due to the nature of the crime and Dixon’s health.
Boyce told Dixon that he sympathizes with the medical issues she faces and the challenges they bring, and that he understood she raised her health not to create sympathy, but to provide useful information about her background and what to consider when crafting a sentence.
While acknowledging the arguments by both the state and the defense, the charges to which Dixon has pleaded guilty remain very serious and carry significant penalties.
Reading out the possible punishment for I18-6101, the rape charge, it grants a judge the ability to sentence an individual who has been found guilty to no less than one year or up to life in prison.
Regarding the circumstances of the crime, Dixon had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy; Boyce said that this is something that can’t be overlooked. He also recognized that Dixon is at low risk for recidivism and that she has stated she takes accountability for her actions.
Boyce sentenced Dixon to one year fixed and four years indeterminate for each charge, to run concurrently. Boyce also noted that the Idaho Department of Corrections should ensure Dixon has appropriate medical support.