A Wisconsin judge was convicted Thursday of felony obstruction of justice for helping a violent illegal migrant evade federal immigration agents following a court appearance earlier this year.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan faces up to five years in prison following her misguided attempt to assist Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents showed up to detain him April 18.
Prosecutors said Dugan initially confronted the agents and directed them away from her courtroom after being shown a warrant for Flores-Ruiz’s detention. She then led Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through her courtroom’s “jury door” to a non-public area of the courthouse.
Flores-Ruiz and his attorney made it out to the street before the suspect was arrested by an FBI and DEA agent following a brief foot chase.
Jurors acquitted Dugan of a misdemeanor count of concealing an individual to prevent his arrest, but found her guilty of the more serious obstruction charge.
“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in this matter,” the jurist’s defense team said in a statement.
“We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning. This trial required considerable resources to prepare for and public support for Judge Dugan’s defense fund is critical as we prepare for the next phase of this defense.”
No sentencing date has been set.
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche cheered the verdict on X, writing: “Today, a federal jury of her peers found her guilty and sent a clear message: the American people respect law and order. Nobody is above the law,” Blanche wrote.
“This Department will not tolerate obstruction, will enforce federal immigration law, and will hold criminals to account – even those who wear robes.”
Flores-Ruiz was before Dugan for a pre-trial hearing on three misdemeanor charges after allegedly pummeling a man with more than 30 punches during a March 12 fight over loud music, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Post.
The Mexican national, previously deported from the US in 2013 and free on a signature bond at the time, also allegedly struck a woman who tried to intervene during the altercation.
When Dugan learned that ICE agents were in the courthouse looking for Flores-Ruiz, she left the bench “visibly angry” to confront the federal agents, according to an affidavit.
After seeing the warrant for Flores-Ruiz, Dugan directed the federal agents to Chief Judge Carl Ashley’s office.
After the judge went back inside her courtroom, a deputy alerted the feds that Dugan was “pushing” Flores-Ruiz’s case along.
When Flores-Ruiz’s appearance wrapped up with the suspect watching from the jury box, Dugan was heard saying, “Wait, come with me,” before showing him and his attorney out through the jury door and into an area where Ashley had advised the feds they could not detain the migrant.
When a prosecuting attorney asked about the status of Flores-Ruiz’s battery case, they were told it had been quietly “adjourned.”
“This happened without [the prosecutor’s] knowledge or participation, even though [they were] present in court to handle Flores-Ruiz’s case on behalf of the state, and even though victims were present in the courtroom,” the complaint read.
ICE revealed in a statement last month that Flores-Ruiz had been “removed” from the US on Nov. 13.
With Post wires
