Former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan was sentenced Wednesday to a $5,000 fine with no prison time for felony obstruction, capping a case that drew national attention after she helped a man evade immigration agents inside her courthouse.
Judge Lynn Adelman imposed the sentence on Dugan, 67, citing her otherwise law-abiding life, despite prosecutors urging a significant penalty and a pre-sentence report recommending 15 to 21 months in prison. Prosecutors had argued that Dugan violated her oath and endangered law enforcement and the public.
The conviction stemmed from an April 2025 incident in which Dugan confronted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Milwaukee County courthouse, directed them to the chief judge's office, and then escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz out through a private jury door. Flores-Ruiz, 31, was arrested after a foot chase and deported in November 2025. Dugan resigned her circuit judgeship in January amid threats of impeachment.