A jury in federal court in Wisconsin has returned a guilty verdict on a charge of obstruction against Hannah Dugan, who was a judge in the state until she was suspended when she was indicted on federal charges.
She was accused in a situation where she apparently helped an illegal alien who was in her court on criminal counts of evading federal officers.
She was acquitted of “concealing” a person from arrest.
The jury deliberated for about seven hours before returning the verdict.
A posted on TMZ said the 66-year-old is facing “up to five years in prison, and as a convicted felon, will likely not be able to retain her office as a judge.”
The scandal developed in the spring when she was supposed to preside over a set of misdemeanor cases when she learned ICE agents had arrived to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 31-year-old illegal alien facing domestic battery charges.
The report said, “Dugan went into the hallway and told the agents to go to a different judge’s office. Back in her courtroom, Dugan told Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to leave through a side door for staff. Agents saw Flores-Ruiz in a public hallway, chased him on foot and arrested him. A week later, Dugan was arrested and led out of the courthouse in handcuffs. Flores-Ruiz was later deported.”
She was removed from the bench, although she continued to collect her paychecks.
One of her lawyers, Steve Biskupic, said an appeal is planned.
U.S. Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche said Dugan “betrayed her oath.”
WND had reported on damaging testimony from a witness, another judge in the courthouse at the time.
The devastating testimony was from Judge Kristela Cervera, who told the courtroom that she was shocked by lawyers praising her for helping the illegal alien criminal, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, escape.
She described attorneys pumping their fists and telling her, “You go, Judge,” and saying, “Judge, you’re ‘goated’ now.”
Cervera explained she was “pulled into” the fight by Dugan, “who she said admitted that she was trying to help Eduardo Flores-Ruiz as he evaded officers.”
Cervera testified she didn’t want to “walk in the hallway with my robe on,” but Dugan told her to do exactly that, so agents would “see them in their robes as a sign of authority.”
Video surveillance shows the illegal alien and his lawyer escaping through a “jury door.”
Dugan was arrested, suspended and indicted.
Dugan tried to suppress most of the evidence contained in an audio recording made in the court that day.
NOW: Jury seated in Judge Hannah Dugan trial. Group is 14 total: 9 men, 5 women. All appear to be white. @billmiston @fox6now
Picture: Adela Tesnow pic.twitter.com/avdjb4tOUt
— Nikola Junewicz (@nikkijunewicz) December 11, 2025
Hope she gets ALL 6 years!
Breaking: Corrupt Judge Hannah Dugan is now facing 6 years in prison for helping an illegal alien evade an arrest back in April.
She has refused a plea deal today and her trial is officially set for December 11th. pic.twitter.com/nH7DVEUg7B
— Rapid Response MAGA (@MAGAresponse) November 26, 2025
Nine men and five women will decide the fate of Judge Hannah Dugan, who allegedly helped an undocumented immigrant evade detection at the courthouse. Read more: https://t.co/FbeERrNujj pic.twitter.com/FNvn8LqIvr
— WISN 12 NEWS (@WISN12News) December 11, 2025
Judge delivers defeat to Hannah Dugan’s attempts to derail pending criminal trial
25 witnesses: Jury picked to decide whether to send a JUDGE to prison!
Judge as witness delivers huge blow to judge as criminal defendant