ST. MARY'S COUNTY, Md. — A Mechanicsville man was sentenced Monday to 53 years in prison after being convicted in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a woman.
William Francis Dixon, 53, was sentenced for attempted kidnapping, armed robbery, and dangerous weapon charges following an incident that occurred on March 17, 2025.
Authorities say Dixon targeted a woman after seeing her at a shopping center and followed her car to her child's school bus stop.
While she waited for her child, Dixon—armed with handcuffs and a knife—attempted to kidnap her by dragging her toward his vehicle.
The victim escaped after fighting out of Dixon's grasp. She ran to her car and called 911, providing a detailed description of both the attack and Dixon.
Officers identified and located Dixon based on the victim's description. A search of his home led to the recovery of the victim's personal belongings.
Dixon was previously convicted for a brutal assault in 1994, when he was found guilty of stabbing a St. Mary's County woman 50 times with a screwdriver, raping her, and leaving her for dead. The victim survived that attack.
For that crime, Dixon was sentenced to life in prison with 40 years of active incarceration. He was released after serving under 25 years with good time credit.
"With this new sentence, the defendant will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars," said State's Attorney Jaymi Sterling. "This victim and the previous victim, along with every potential victim, are now safe from him. I want to sincerely thank the detectives, the incredible prosecution team, and especially our office's Evidence Review Unit. I am certain these results would not have been possible without their endless hours of investigation, dedication, and brilliance."
