Queens Supreme Court judge broke down and cried — and said he had never presided over a more troubling case — as he sentenced Kerbet (Kirby) Dixon to at least 25 1/3 years in prison for sexually abusing two young members of his family in his Queens home in 2008 and 2009.
Judge Richard L. Buchter was reduced to tears as he scolded Dixon while reading the sentence, pausing at one point to dab his soggy eyes.
“In 27 years on the bench, I have not seen a more repulsive case,” the judge said, his voice rising. “Justice is a poor replacement. . . . The lengthy prison sentence I propose will not restore the sweet innocence of the child.”
Dixon, 50, a former Queens court officer and assistant girls basketball coach at Manhattan’s Murry Bergtraum High School, was convicted in March on felony charges of sexually abusing two of his wife’s nieces, who were 10 and 14 at the time, and more than 480 counts of possession of child pornography.
[...]
“This defendant is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, both within his family and his community,” the judge said. “He cultivated his image of being kindly Uncle Kirby, providing gifts, taking them on trips, but this kindness did not motivate him. This conduct was carried out for a malicious purpose.”
Dixon could spend up to 32 1/3 years behind bars. Mischel said that Dixon plans to appeal the sentence.
[...]
“We would like to say how much we truly loved you,” the statement said. “This was the ultimate betrayal. Never in a million years did we think you were the monster we had to protect our kids from.”
[....]
“This was no ordinary jury service,” he said. “For over a month, these men and women were compelled to sit through the most vile and sickening evidence.”