A federal grand jury indicted Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on Tuesday over previous charges involving her allegedly and improperly aiding an illegal migrant.
In April, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Dugan after it began investigating her for allegedly helping hide a migrant charged with violence from U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents. The indictment accuses the judge of obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest, which could carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
ICE agents arrived at the Milwaukee courthouse on April 18 to arrest illegal migrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who had been scheduled for a hearing with Judge Dugan. However, before ICE agents could reach the suspect, Dugan allegedly directed him and his lawyer down a hallway leading to another floor to avoid officials.
FBI Director Kash Patel released a statement on April 25 to his X account, detailing the arrest of Dugan.
“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,” Patel wrote. “Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”
The charges from the FBI in April mirror those in the indictment.
Prior to his arrest from ICE, Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national, is facing three counts of misdemeanor battery in Wisconsin, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Following the incident, the Democrat-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan from her duties, temporarily prohibiting her from her responsibilities as a county judge “until further order of the court.”
“In the exercise of that constitutional authority and in order to uphold public confidence in the court of this state during the pendency of the criminal proceeding against Judge Dugan, we conclude on our own motion that it is in the public interest that she be temporarily relieved of her official duty,” the order states.
Since the arrest, Dugan’s legal team has continued to “assert Judge Dugan’s innocence and look forward to her vindication in court.”
(Featured Image Media Credit: Joe Gratz/Flickr)
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