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. --->READ MORE HERE
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| Lee Matz/ Milwaukee Independent via AP |
Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was found guilty of helping man avoid ICE agents at courthouse in April
A jury found Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents during an attempt to serve a warrant at a courthouse earlier this year.
She faces up to five years in prison on the felony obstruction count.
Dugan was arrested in April after helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz avoid plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were trying to serve him a warrant. Prosecutors said Dugan helped Flores-Ruiz and his attorney exit her courtroom through a back door on April 18, after learning that ICE agents were in the building to arrest him.
"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," Dugan'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."
Jurors reached the guilty verdict after six hours of deliberations, though Dugan was acquitted on a misdemeanor count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest.
Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Brad Schimel reacted to the verdict, saying Dugan "is certainly not evil nor is she a martyr for some greater cause." --->READ MORE HERE
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