A Milwaukee County circuit decide was arrested by the FBI over allegedly serving to an undocumented immigrant evade arrest, federal authorities mentioned.
FBI Director Kash Patel introduced Choose Hannah Dugan’s arrest earlier Friday in a social media publish, which was briefly deleted and reposted.
Milwaukee County Circuit Choose Hannah Dugan, proven throughout a candidate discussion board in 2016.
Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/IMAGN
“Simply NOW, the FBI arrested Choose Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on prices of obstruction — after proof of Choose Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation final week,” Patel mentioned within the new publish. “We consider Choose Dugan deliberately misdirected federal brokers away from the topic to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, permitting the topic — an unlawful alien — to evade arrest.”
Dugan was charged with two prison counts of “obstructing and impeding a continuing earlier than a division or company of the US” and “concealing a person to forestall his discovery and arrest,” in response to a prison grievance unsealed Friday.
County courtroom data present the undocumented immigrant — Eduardo Flores-Ruiz — was set to seem in courtroom on April 18 earlier than Dugan for a pretrial convention in a case the place he has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of battery/home abuse related to an incident on March 12.
The arrest drew protests and condemnation from Wisconsin officers who criticized the transfer as an overreach on the judicial system.
In response to the grievance, Dugan allegedly sought to assist Flores-Ruiz evade arrest by federal officers from an ICE job drive.
When Choose Dugan discovered ICE officers had been current in courtroom to arrest Flores-Ruiz, she turned “visibly indignant” and mentioned the state of affairs was “absurd” earlier than leaving the bench and getting into her chambers, in response to the grievance, which cited witnesses who spoke to the FBI.
Choose Dugan and one other unidentified decide then allegedly approached the arrest group within the public hallway, in response to the grievance. She was “visibly upset and had a confrontational, indignant demeanor” and requested one of many officers whether or not they had been current for a courtroom look, the grievance alleged.
When the officer replied they had been there to make an arrest, the grievance alleges Choose Dugan requested if they’d a judicial warrant, to which the officer responded, “No I’ve an administrative warrant.”
A number of witnesses cited within the grievance later allegedly mentioned Choose Dugan returned to her courtroom after directing members of the arrest group to the workplace of the courtroom’s chief decide.
“The courtroom deputy then noticed Choose DUGAN stand up and heard Choose DUGAN say one thing like ‘Wait, include me,'” the grievance states. “Regardless of having been suggested of the executive warrant for the arrest of Flores-Ruiz, Choose DUGAN then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom by means of the ‘jury door,’ which ends up in a nonpublic space of the courthouse.”
A DEA agent noticed Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer within the public hallway of the courthouse and seemed to be making efforts to evade arrest, the grievance says. After he was encountered by FBI and DEA brokers outdoors the constructing, Flores-Ruiz “circled and sprinted down the road” earlier than he was in the end apprehended, in response to the grievance.
Dugan was arrested Friday morning on the courthouse, a legislation enforcement official confirmed to ABC Information.
She appeared in U.S. District Courtroom for the Japanese District of Wisconsin on Friday on the 2 prices, however didn’t enter a plea. She was launched on her personal recognizance.
Dugan’s lawyer Craig Mastantuono mentioned in courtroom, “Choose Dugan wholeheartedly protests the arrest and believes it was not made within the pursuits of public security.”
If convicted on the fees, Dugan may withstand six years in jail.
The decide’s arrest angered Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson who accused the federal brokers of “showboating” and contended Dugan was not a flight danger.
“They’re simply making an attempt to have this present of drive and within the means of a courtroom home the place individuals have to go for courtroom proceedings, they’re scaring away individuals from collaborating within the courtroom course of,” the mayor advised reporters.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, in an announcement on Friday afternoon, responded to the arrest of Milwaukee County circuit decide Hannah Dugan in an announcement criticizing President Donald Trump and the White Home for what he mentioned had been efforts “to assault and try to undermine our judiciary at each degree.”
Evers mentioned he would proceed to think about the justice system “as this case performs out within the courtroom of legislation.” He didn’t point out Dugan by identify.
Federal prosecutors allege Flores-Ruiz illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico and was issued an Expedited Elimination order in January 2013, in response to a prison grievance. Additional particulars in regards to the home abuse prices weren’t instantly obtainable.
It is a growing story. Please verify again for updates.
