MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 31-year-old immigrant, was sentenced to time served for illegally reentering the United States after a dramatic courtroom incident in Wisconsin where a judge allegedly assisted him in evading federal agents.
U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper presided over Flores-Ruiz's case, sentencing him in Milwaukee after a deal with prosecutors resulted in him agreeing not to contest his deportation. Having spent nearly seven months in jail since his arrest in April, Judge Pepper cautioned him about the consequences of any future return to the U.S., expressing hope he would create a life for himself back home.
Speaking through a translator, Flores-Ruiz expressed remorse for his illegal entry, thanking the judge for the opportunity to work in the U.S. He promised never to return.
Flores-Ruiz's journey began in Michoacan, Mexico, where he suffered hardship before crossing into the U.S. from Nogales at age 18. After immediate deportation back to Mexico, he attempted to reenter, ended up lost in the Arizona desert for a month, and eventually arrived in Milwaukee to live with relatives and work at various restaurants and food trucks for over a decade.
During his recent legal troubles, state prosecutors charged him with misdemeanor battery after a dispute with his roommate. Federal immigration agents became aware of his status when his fingerprints were submitted to federal databases from jail.
On April 18, when Flores-Ruiz was set to appear in court for a hearing, federal agents came to arrest him. However, Judge Hannah Dugan reportedly helped him avoid arrest, which prompted her indictment afterward for obstruction and concealment. Dugan's case has sparked a broader discussion about the conflict between local judicial authorities and the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Flores-Ruiz pleaded guilty to the federal charge in September and accepted a deal to avoid contesting his deportation, while state charges against him were also resolved to time served. Currently, he resides in the Dodge County Jail, awaiting deportation.
