Politics
NEW: Democrat Judge Indicted For Allegedly Shielding Illegal Alien From Arrest
The Wisconsin judge who allegedly helped an illegal alien evade immigration enforcement agents was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested last month after being accused of obstruction of justice for allegedly concealing Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien who was implicated in a vicious assault, from arrest following a pre-trial detention hearing.
Dugan, who has been on the Milwaukee County bench for nearly a decade, faces a maximum of up to 10 years in prison if convicted on both counts.
On Tuesday, a federal grand jury convened to consider the indictment. The grand jury heard testimony that included statements from Eduardo Flores-Ruiz’s attorney, who has since withdrawn from his case, as well as Dugan’s court clerk.
Milwaukee County Judge Kristela Cervera, a misdemeanor judge whose courtroom is next to Dugan’s, also delivered testimony. The panel was expected to decide whether to indict Dugan ahead of her previously scheduled preliminary court hearing, according to a report from Fox News.
Hannah Dugan serves as the judge for Branch 31 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in Wisconsin
Photo: TMJ4
Dugan’s attorneys told the outlet that the judge will plead not guilty and expects to prove her innocence. “As she said after her unnecessary arrest, Judge Dugan asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court,” they said.
The Democrat judge is expected back in federal court on May 15, where she will face federal charges of felony obstruction of a federal agency and concealing a person to help them avoid arrest, which is a misdemeanor. She is expected to enter a plea on the charges during the hearing.
Dugan was arrested after federal agents from a number of different agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), attempted to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his scheduled criminal court appearance before Dugan on April 18. The Mexican national was in court on three misdemeanor battery charges in connection with an alleged assault on two people.
The judge instructed the agents to proceed to the chief judge’s office. After the hearing concluded, Flores-Ruiz and his attorney were escorted out of the courtroom through a restricted jury door, bypassing the public area where agents were waiting in order to help him avoid arrest, according to the criminal complaint.
Last month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Dugan will be “temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge” while facing criminal charges. The court’s order noted that the move was necessary “in order to uphold the public’s confidence” in the judiciary.
