A federal grand jury has indicted Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan after she helped an illegal immigrant evade federal immigration authorities.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Dugan has been accused of obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest. The charges carry up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine.
Dugan was suspended from her position last month following her arrest.
“The court has learned that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah C. Dugan has been charged with two federal criminal offenses, one of which is a felony and one of which is a misdemeanor,” a court document reads. “The court is charged in the Wisconsin Constitution with exercising superintending and administrative authority over the courts of this state.”
“In the exercise of that constitutional authority and in order to uphold the public’s confidence in the courts 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 duties,” the document continues.
Dugan’s legal team said in a statement obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel upon her suspension that they were “Disappointed that the Court acted in unilateral fashion. We continue to assert Judge Dugan’s innocence and look forward [to] her vindication in court.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said at the time of Dugan’s arrest, “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,” FBI Director Kash Patel said at the time.
