Dubuque Man Still Faces Federal Gun Charge After Attempt to Enter Council Meeting With Loaded Pistol
DUBUQUE, Iowa — More than a year after he was arrested while live-streaming his attempt to enter a Dubuque City Council meeting armed with a loaded handgun, an Iowa man continues to fight a single federal firearms charge.
Austin Andrew Goodman, 41, was indicted in September 2025 on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a charge that carries up to 15 years in federal prison.
The case stems from March 3, 2025, when Goodman entered the Federal Building at 350 West 6th Street—which houses City Council chambers—dressed in a suit and draped in an American flag. He was accompanied by two dogs and had a loaded Sig Sauer P365 handgun visible on his hip. Officers intercepted him before he reached the council chambers.
Goodman was live-streaming the incident and had previously announced plans to protest his interactions with local police.
Initial state charges, including interference with official acts while armed and assault on an officer, were later dismissed after federal prosecutors took over the case.
Mental health ruling triggers federal ban
The federal charge stems from a Nov. 4, 2024, Iowa court order that adjudicated Goodman as suffering from mental illness and requiring involuntary hospitalization. That commitment order triggered a federal prohibition on possessing firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4).
In February 2026, a federal judge rejected Goodman’s broad Second Amendment challenge to the law, citing historical traditions of disarming individuals found to be mentally ill or dangerous. However, a more specific challenge—whether Goodman’s personal circumstances justify the ban—was preserved for trial.
A defense motion to suppress evidence from search warrants was also denied.
Case pending
As of April 2026, the case remains open in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. No trial date has been set, and no plea agreement has been publicly filed.
Goodman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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