MADISON, Wis. (AP) — An immigrant who was arrested after a judge in Wisconsin allegedly helped him dodge federal agents has been sentenced to time served for illegally reentering the United States. U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper handed down the sentence on Wednesday in Milwaukee after 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz reached a deal with prosecutors not to contest his deportation. Having spent nearly seven months in jail since his arrest in April, Pepper warned him of harsher penalties if he ever returns to the country. Meanwhile, speaking through a translator, Flores-Ruiz expressed remorse for his actions and gratitude for the opportunity to work in the U.S., vowing never to return.
Flores-Ruiz, originally from Michoacán, Mexico, crossed the border illegally in 2013 but was quickly apprehended. He later reentered the country, spending 12 years working at various restaurants and food trucks before being arrested following a fight with a roommate. His case has drawn attention due to the involvement of Judge Hannah Dugan, who allegedly facilitated his departure from the courthouse where immigration agents were waiting to arrest him. Dugan has since been indicted on charges of obstruction and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, as tensions rise between federal immigration policy and local judicial authority.
Flores-Ruiz, originally from Michoacán, Mexico, crossed the border illegally in 2013 but was quickly apprehended. He later reentered the country, spending 12 years working at various restaurants and food trucks before being arrested following a fight with a roommate. His case has drawn attention due to the involvement of Judge Hannah Dugan, who allegedly facilitated his departure from the courthouse where immigration agents were waiting to arrest him. Dugan has since been indicted on charges of obstruction and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, as tensions rise between federal immigration policy and local judicial authority.
