A gun used in a disturbance in which a Dubuque man held a firearm to the head of a woman was among nine weapons stolen from a Dubuque County cabin in December. The Dubuque Drug Task Force received information on January 20 that 30-year-old Austine Thomas of Durango was responsible for the burglary of a cabin and the theft of weapons. An investigation determined that one of the weapons taken was the one allegedly used the disturbance by 35-year-old Cody Richey on February 22. Additional firearms recovered from Richey’s residence were identified by serial number as having been stolen from the cabin. Thomas told Investigators he was responsible for the burglary and that he took nine guns and gave them to Richey as payment for a debt that he owed. Three of the stolen weapons remain missing. Thomas was arrested Wednesday on charges of second-degree theft, third-degree burglary, trafficking in a stolen weapon used in a crime and eight counts of trafficking in stolen weapons. Thomas was also arrested Saturday on charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, driving while barred and possession of drug paraphernalia.
