A Wisconsin judge accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade immigration enforcement was indicted by a federal jury on Tuesday. Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and put in handcuffs while still wearing her black judicial robe last month after being accused of obstructing justice and hiding Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from federal authorities following a pre-trial hearing.
The high-profile arrest sparked severe backlash from Democrats, while the Department of Justice stood by its actions against the veteran judge. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the indictment was issued on Tuesday after a hearing that lasted the entire day. On Tuesday, the judge's fate was almost sealed after her indictment.
Bearing the Brunt of Her Mistakes
Dugan was initially charged with hiding a person to prevent his arrest and with obstructing justice. The grand jury found sufficient probable cause to allow the case to move forward. Following her arrest late last month, she was temporarily relieved of her judicial duties.
After the latest development, her legal team issued a brief statement, stressing that Dugan continues to maintain her innocence and is confident she will be cleared in court.
Dugan is set to enter a plea on Thursday.
Prosecutors say that on April 18, Flores-Ruiz, 30, appeared before Dugan to face three misdemeanor charges related to a fight in March. During that hearing, Dugan allegedly tried to help him evade federal agents.
According to the prosecution, once she learned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were present in the courthouse searching for Flores-Ruiz, she led him and his attorney out through a jury door in the back of her courtroom.
Daredevil Stunt Costs Her a Lot
According to an affidavit, Dugan and another judge approached federal agents inside the courthouse at one point, engaging in what was described as a "confrontational" exchange. Dugan reportedly told the agents to take the matter up with the chief justice.
After returning to her courtroom, she allegedly escorted Flores-Ruiz through a restricted exit typically used by court staff, jurors, and defendants already in custody, the documents claim.
At the time, Flores-Ruiz was out on a signature bond. He was eventually caught outside the courthouse following a brief foot chase.
His legal issues, which brought him before Dugan, began in mid-March when he allegedly assaulted another man by punching and choking him during an argument. He also reportedly hit a woman who tried to intervene, according to a police report.
Court records indicate that Flores-Ruiz had previously been deported in 2013 and unlawfully reentered the United States.
Dugan has been on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court since at least 2016 and was re-elected in 2022. Her current term will be ending in August 2028.
Dugan's arrest came just a day after former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were detained during a Thursday raid on their home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The couple now face charges of evidence tampering after allegedly harboring an illegal immigrant, identified as suspected Venezuelan gang member Christhian Ortega-Lopez, at their home.
