Former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan received a $5,000 fine and avoided prison after a federal conviction for obstructing immigration enforcement agents.
Dugan, 67, was found guilty in December of felony obstruction after an earlier misdemeanor charge was dismissed. The conviction carried a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman imposed the monetary penalty, noting Dugan’s previously unblemished record as a factor in sparing her incarceration.
The case stemmed from an incident in which ICE agents attempted to arrest a defendant, Eduardo Flores‑Ruiz, in Dugan’s courtroom. Dugan directed the defendant to exit through a private jury door, allowing him to evade arrest.
Security footage shows Dugan, in judicial robes, confronting plain‑clothed agents in the courthouse hallway before escorting the defendant out the side door.
Prosecutors argued that Dugan’s actions deliberately misdirected federal agents and constituted a clear obstruction of justice.
Defense counsel contended the prosecution was driven by political pressure to enforce a broader immigration enforcement strategy against the judiciary.
The sentencing concludes a federal investigation that began with an indictment in April, ending a high‑profile legal battle over the limits of judicial authority in immigration matters.
