A former judge who was convicted of obstruction last year for helping an immigrant evade a federal agent in Wisconsin will not serve prison time, a court ruled.

In imposing the sentence, the court determined that a jail term was not necessary for former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, but ordered her to pay a fine of $5,000 (£3,700).

Dugan was arrested in April 2025 after carrying Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national facing misdemeanor assault charges, out of her courtroom through a side door.

She resigned from her position when Wisconsin Republicans began trying to unseat her.

His arrest marked a victory for the Trump administration and its supporters, who have tried to portray the judge’s actions as indicative of a politicized justice system.

In December, Dugan was found guilty of obstructing a criminal proceeding but found not guilty of concealing a person from arrest.

Dugan, who refused to testify during his trial, addressed the court before his sentencing Wednesday.

In her remarks, she told the court that she was proud of her record of community service and would not let the events of April 2025 define her.

“My actions that day were consistent with the administrative and community concerns expressed by our state court,” Dugan said, according to WISN-TV., external in Milwaukee. “My judicial actions were not done with any malicious intent.”

He also said: “I have been portrayed as a lawbreaker and a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who was just trying to do my job.”

The judge overseeing his case told him that a prison sentence was not necessary.

“For several reasons, prison is not necessary to satisfy the legal purposes of the sentence,” District Judge Lynn Adelman said, according to WISN-TV.

“This is a person who has done a lot of good for our community,” Adelman added.

Before sentencing, Dugan’s attorneys said they would appeal his conviction. He faced up to five years in prison on the obstruction charge.

His lawyers asked for a light sentence, noting his nine-year career as a judge that ended after his arrest.

On April 18, 2025, Flores-Ruiz appeared in court in Milwaukee for a scheduled hearing.

Six agents from the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were in court to arrest him.

According to an FBI affidavit, Dugan became “visibly angry” about the type of arrest warrant that had been issued and had told officers to appear before the chief judge.

While there, Dugan directed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to a private exit used for jurors.

Still, they did not escape. Immigration agents captured them and Flores Ruiz was later deported.

“All he did was ‘send’ him into the hallway with his attorney,” Dugan’s attorney, Steven Biskupic, allegedly told jurors during the trial.