MILWAUKEE — The conviction of former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan will stand.
A federal judge denied her team's motion to reconsider her conviction.
Dugan was found guilty of obstruction after helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz - who was in the country illegally - evade ICE agents at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
The case now moves to sentencing, where Dugan could face up to five years in prison.
A hearing held last week for what was scheduled to be her sentencing turned into a legal battle over whether her felony obstruction conviction should be thrown out entirely.
Previous coverage: Former Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan’s conviction fate undecided after hearing:
The defense's case hinged on an April appeals court ruling out of Virginia that found carrying out an ICE arrest is law enforcement activity — not an official federal proceeding under the obstruction statute. Dugan's attorneys argued Adelman relied on that now-overturned case to instruct the jury, meaning the legal foundation for her conviction no longer stands.
Prosecutors pushed back, arguing the Virginia ruling does not apply in Wisconsin. They contend ICE was acting within an ongoing Department of Homeland Security removal proceeding, making it part of a valid case under the law.
The definition of a "proceeding" was central to the arguments.
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Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
