DUBUQUE, IA – On July 11, 2025, Unekca Rayelle Smith, a 19-year-old resident of Dubuque, was taken into custody and charged with contempt of court due to disrespectful conduct in a courtroom. This incident transpired at 770 Iowa Street at approximately 9:36 AM, as per the Dubuque Police Department’s report.
Records from the court (Case: 01311 FECR160468) indicate that Smith is facing several charges linked to incidents that occurred on July 10 and 11, 2025. Apart from the contempt charge, she is charged with second-degree burglary, classified as a Class C felony, as well as fourth-degree criminal mischief, a serious misdemeanor, both relating to events on July 10, 2025. Notably, the contempt charge received immediate judicial attention.
Judge Robert J. Richter presided over the case and found Smith guilty of contempt on July 11, 2025, following a complaint lodged by the Dubuque Police Department. On that day, the court issued a disposition order, sentencing Smith to five days in jail for her contemptuous conduct. Court documents reveal that the contempt charge resulted from disrespectful behavior displayed before the court, categorized as a violation under Iowa Code 665.2(1).
As for the burglary and criminal mischief charges, those remain unresolved, and no adjudication or sentencing information has been made available as of the most recent court filings dated July 11, 2025. The complaints were initiated by the Dubuque Police Department, with the contempt proceedings managed by Judge Richter.
