DUBUQUE, IA – A Dubuque man was taken into custody this week on a felony warrant after failing to appear for a court hearing related to a prior drug charge, according to records from the Iowa Judicial Branch.

Dustin Paul Dunford, 41, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 770 Iowa Street. The arrest was executed by the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department on a single charge of Failure to Appear on a Felony Charge, a Class D Felony.

The warrant for Dunford’s arrest was issued on October 21, 2025, after he did not appear for a proceeding in his ongoing case (01311 FECR159388). Court records show Judge Monica L. Zrinyi Ackley signed an order for a bench warrant the day prior, on October 20.

The underlying case involves a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3rd or Subsequent Offense, also a Class D Felony, with an alleged offense date of April 24, 2025.

Following the missed court date in October, the court moved to forfeit the bond posted for Dunford’s pretrial release. An order forfeiting the bail was signed by Judge Michael J. Shubatt on December 5, 2025, and a subsequent order assessing the costs of the forfeiture was filed on January 8, 2026.

A pretrial violation report was filed by Dubuque Community Supervision on December 11, leading to an order terminating Dunford’s pretrial release status on December 16.

The warrant was served on January 23, 2026, and logged into the court docket the same day. Dunford is currently held in connection with the warrant. His next court appearance has not yet been scheduled. He’s is in the Dubuque County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond.

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