Former Wisconsin judge avoids prison time after being convicted of obstructing federal immigration agents
Hannah Dugan, a former Wisconsin judge who was found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents, was spared prison time, according to ABC Milwaukee affiliate WISN, which was in the courtroom for the sentencing on Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman said prison was unnecessary and imposed a $5,000 fine, according to WISN.
Dugan, 67, faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Adelman described the former judge as a dedicated public servant who "made a bad decision in the moment."
"This is a person who has done a lot of good for our community,” Adelman said, according to WISN.
Dugan addressed the court prior to her sentencing, saying that during her nine years as judge, she "strived to do my best to uphold justice," according to WISN.
"I've been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who was just trying to do my job," she said, WISN reported.
The defense had asked for time served, arguing in a filing ahead of sentencing that the circumstances of the offense were "isolated and unique" and that Dugan has been a "exemplary member of this community."
"As a result of her conviction in this case, Hannah Dugan has lost the judicial job she loved and that was the culmination of a career spent serving others," her defense wrote. "Sentencing need not do worse to her."
The government had argued for a "meaningful sentence," stating in a filing prior to sentencing that this was a "serious offense, and it warrants a correspondingly serious sentence."
"The Court’s sentence should not only reflect the personal consequences to the defendant but also the broader institutional harm caused when a judge obstructs the lawful administration of justice," the federal prosecutors wrote.
Dugan was accused of obstructing official Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and knowingly concealing an undocumented man from immigration authorities at a courthouse in April 2025 while serving as a Milwaukee County Circuit judge.
A jury found her guilty of obstructing federal agents and not guilty of concealing an undocumented immigrant from arrest during the courthouse incident following a weeklong trial in December 2025. She resigned the following month.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
