Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction but innocent of helping 'violent' Mexican immigrant evade ICE agents

A Wisconsin judge is facing an uncertain future as a robed arbiter of justice after being convicted in a controversial prosecution that became a flashpoint in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

On Thursday, Hannah Dugan was found guilty by a federal jury on one count of obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department of agency of the United States, a felony. Jurors, however, additionally found the defendant not guilty on one count of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest, a misdemeanor.

The split verdict caps off months of motions practice as both the state and the defense jockeyed for position in the high-profile case.

Federal prosecutors alleged Dugan impeded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a courthouse immigration bust in Milwaukee by helping a Mexican national named Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who is facing misdemeanor battery charges, leave through a jury door after a hearing in his criminal case.

The underlying incident occurred on April 18. Dugan was charged in a criminal complaint less than a week later and subsequently suspended from performing any judicial duties by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She was formally indicted in late May.

During the bust, Dugan told ICE agents they needed to obtain a judicial warrant to take Flores-Ruiz into custody. Later, a deputy working in the courthouse provided information to federal investigators.

The four-day trial was overseen by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, a Bill Clinton appointee. Jury selection began on Dec. 11.

During the proceedings, Dugan herself did not take the stand.

In typical fashion, federal prosecutors painstakingly laid out their arguments over the majority of the trial, according to a courtroom report by Milwaukee-based Fox affiliate WITI. On the final day, the defense began its own presentation, ultimately calling four witnesses.

At 2:24 p.m. CST, the jury began deliberations.

After a series of questions about an exhibit show during the trial, Dugan's knowledge of an outstanding warrant, a legal standard expressed in the jury instructions, and ordering dinner, jurors ended their deliberations at 8:32 p.m., the local TV station reported.

Dugan was represented by several lawyers in the case and secured support from a broader constellation of legal experts and professionals early on when 138 former state and federal judges called for a dismissal of the charges in an amicus brief filed May 30.

The bipartisan group of lawyers excoriated Dugan's arrest and prosecution as "an extraordinary and direct assault on the independence of the entire judicial system," echoing statements made by Dugan in one of her failed motions to dismiss the charges.

In the end, however, Adelman decided the matter was ripe for consideration by a collection of Dugan's peers – though the court did not act with haste, despite a defense request to move forward quickly.

The defense released a statement bemoaning the verdict.

"While we are disappointed in today's outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan's name and show she did nothing wrong in this matter," the statement reads. "We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning. This trial required considerable resources to prepare for and public support for Judge Dugan's defense fund is critical as we prepare for the next phase of this defense."

Obstruction carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, according to federal law. But such an outcome is exceedingly unlikely due to Dugan's lack of a criminal record and the facts of the case itself – the sought-after criminal defendant was eventually detained and then deported in November.

"Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a previously removed illegal alien has a laundry list of violent criminal charges, including strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse," ICE Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said after the man's removal. "Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement, this criminal is OUT of our country."

Chris Perez contributed to this report.