Milwaukee Judge Charged with Felonies for Allegedly Aiding Undocumented Immigrant in Courtroom Incident

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan faces serious allegations after being charged with two felonies on April 25. The charges stem from accusations that she attempted to assist an undocumented immigrant in evading arrest following his appearance in her courtroom. As outlined in a detailed 13-page complaint, Dugan, aged 65, is charged with obstructing a U.S. agency and attempting to conceal an individual to prevent their arrest. The potential consequences for these charges include up to six years in prison and a hefty $350,000 fine, although penalties for nonviolent crimes generally result in lesser sentences.

The complaint specifically accuses Dugan of aiding Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican immigrant residing in the U.S. without documentation. She allegedly helped him dodge detention by federal immigration authorities at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, where he had attended a pretrial meeting on April 18. Flores-Ruiz currently faces three charges for misdemeanor battery.

According to the complaint, two federal agents conducted a chase and eventually took Flores-Ruiz into custody at the intersection of West State Street and North 10th Street in downtown Milwaukee. “Throughout her career as a lawyer and judge, Hannah C. Dugan has dedicated herself to upholding the rule of law and ensuring due process,” stated Dugan’s attorney in a public declaration. “Judge Dugan intends to rigorously defend herself and is eager to clear her name.”

Judge Dugan briefly appeared in federal court on April 25. During the hearing, she was notably dressed in a black dress adorned with white flowers, rather than the typical inmate attire.