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Jury Convicts Wisconsin Judge Who Helped Illegal Alien Evade Arrest [WATCH]

A Wisconsin jury this week convicted Judge Hannah Dugan on a felony obstruction charge after finding she interfered with federal agents attempting to arrest an illegal alien who appeared in her courtroom, while acquitting her on a separate misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual to prevent arrest.

The verdict followed a trial centered on allegations that Dugan attempted to help Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien, evade federal immigration agents by altering courtroom proceedings and escorting him through a restricted exit after agents were seen waiting in a public hallway outside her courtroom.

The case stemmed from an incident in which federal agents were present in the courthouse corridor while Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear before Dugan.

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According to testimony presented at trial, agents eventually left the hallway.

An FBI agent who led the investigation testified that immediately after their departure, Dugan moved Flores-Ruiz’s case to the top of her docket, told him he could appear for his next hearing via Zoom, and then led him out of the courtroom through a private door.

Prosecutors argued that these actions amounted to obstruction of a federal arrest effort.

As part of their case, prosecutors played audio recordings from Dugan’s courtroom.

In one recording, she can be heard telling her court reporter that she would take “the heat” for leading Flores-Ruiz out the back.

The government charged Dugan with felony obstruction and a misdemeanor count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest.

Prosecutors contended that her actions went beyond routine courthouse procedures and were intended to interfere with law enforcement.

Dugan’s defense attorneys disputed that characterization, arguing she was following established courthouse protocols.

They said those procedures required court employees to report the presence of immigration agents to supervisors and maintained that Dugan did not intentionally try to obstruct the arrest team.

Defense attorneys argued that her actions were administrative decisions made within the scope of her judicial role, not criminal conduct.

The trial featured testimony from 19 witnesses called by the government, including federal agents involved in the attempted arrest and a fellow judge who testified about courtroom practices.

The defense presented four witnesses, including two fellow judges, a public defender, and former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, described in court as a longtime friend of Dugan. Dugan herself did not testify.

After both sides rested, the defense wrapped up its case on Thursday, and the matter was submitted to the jury.

Deliberations lasted approximately six hours before jurors returned their verdict.

During their first hours of deliberations, jurors submitted two questions to the court.

One question focused on Immigration and Customs Enforcement regulations and who must be notified when agents are making an arrest inside a courthouse.

The second question asked whether Dugan needed to know who specifically was being arrested in order to be found guilty of obstruction.

The jury ultimately found Dugan guilty on the obstruction charge but acquitted her on the concealment count.

Following the verdict, Dugan and her attorneys did not address reporters. According to courtroom observers, she and her legal team “left the courtroom, ducked into a side conference room, and closed the door without speaking to reporters.”

The illegal alien at the center of the case, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, was later apprehended despite the actions described at trial.

Authorities confirmed he was deported in November.

The verdict concludes the trial phase of a case that drew attention due to the rare prosecution of a sitting judge on charges related to interference with federal immigration enforcement.

Sentencing has not yet been announced.



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