According to Dubuque Police and a report from the Telegraph Herald; a Dubuque man taped a woman to a chair and held her inside his residence against her will, while also threatening her and her child at gunpoint.

Credit: Dubuque Police
Credit: Dubuque Police
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Jacob R. Mullins, 24, of 822 West Fifth Street in Dubuque was arrested at his residence at 6:35am on Sunday (11/20). Mullins has been charged with domestic assault, impeding airflow/causing injury, willful injury, domestic assault with display or use of a weapon, false imprisonment, child endangerment, and domestic assault with injury.

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Court documents state that Dubuque police responded to Mullins residence at around 6:15am Sunday (11/20) after receiving a report of a woman being held against her will, by force of a handgun. When arriving at the house, police identified the suspect Mullins and the victim, Justina M. Denlinger, 21-year-old female from La Motte, Iowa. Mullins and Denlonger have a 1-year-old child together. The child was in the residence at the time of the incident.

Court records show, Denlinger told officers that Mullins had messaged her to come to his residence with their child to talk about their relationship. Denlinger arrived at the residence at around 5pm on Saturday. At some point, Mullins grabbed Denlinger and forced her against a wall before pushing her onto the couch. He then turned on some music and began to wave a handgun around. It's also stated that he pointed the firearm at both Denlinger and their child; while also loading and unloading the gun.

“Mullins then slapped Denlinger across the face, causing her to black out Mullins then placed his foot on Denlinger’s face while she was on the ground. Mullins then strangled Denlinger to the point she could not breathe. This caused multiple bruises to Denlinger’s neck.”

Things escalated further when Mullins went through Denlinger’s phone and found messages from another man. In this instance he duct-taped Denlinger to a chair and hit her repeatedly in the face causing injury. Mullins then had Denlinger accompany him to a nearby gas station where Mullins became upset when Denlinger tried to show an employee her sustained injuries. They returned to his residence where he again duct taped her to a chair and then struck her with the handgun, again causing facial injuries. Mullins left the residence in the morning, that's when Denlinger called her mother for help.

When Police spoke with Mullins, he did report slapping and punching Denlinger. He also told officers that he taped Denlinger to a chair and grabbed a gun, as well as threatened to kill himself and Denlinger. Officers reportedly found a large amount of duct tape in a trash can, as well as a handgun.

Remember if you're ever found in situation like this, local help is available in Dubuque. Maria House, Teresa Shelter, and Opening Doors offers transitional housing for up to two years, emergency and extended stay services to women and children experiencing homelessness or have a need to start over due to physical abuse. Contact them today on their website.

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