Former Milwaukee County judge Hannah C. Dugan is sentenced to a $5,000 fine after being convicted of felony obstruction for helping a defendant avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Sources report that the case centers on an incident at the Milwaukee courthouse, where federal agents were waiting to take custody of a Mexican undocumented defendant. According to the accounts, Dugan ushered the defendant out of her courtroom through a side door as ICE agents were present nearby, actions prosecutors characterized as obstructing the arrest.
The conviction came after a trial that concluded in December, with multiple outlets describing her conduct as felony obstruction. On Wednesday, a federal judge imposes the fine rather than a prison sentence. Reported reasons for the decision include Dugan’s otherwise law-abiding life, as well as statements from the sentencing judge acknowledging personal factors and her lack of prior similar conduct. All outlets agree on the outcome of the sentencing and the $5,000 penalty, though they differ in how much they emphasize her motivations and the judge’s rationale.
