How a U.S. Judge Allegedly Helped an Illegal Alien Escape ICE

A Massachusetts judge, indicted for allegedly helping sneak an illegal alien out of a courtroom in order to avoid an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, is opting to fight the charges instead of accepting a plea deal.

Federal prosecutors charged Shelley Joseph, a Newton District Court judge, with obstruction of justice in April for allegedly helping an illegal alien sneak through the backdoor of a courthouse, allowing him to evade an ICE officer who was waiting to apprehend him. Instead of taking a plea deal that would allow her to avoid prosecution, Joseph is preparing to go to trial. . .

The incident took place on April 2, 2018 when an ICE officer arrived at the Newton District Court to apprehend Jose Medina-Perez, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic.

During a sidebar conference between Joseph, Medina-Perez’s defense attorney and the assistant district attorney, the three agreed that he was not the one wanted in Pennsylvania, and all agreed to release him. However, the defense attorney interjected during the conversation, noting that an ICE officer was waiting for Medina-Perez outside and would be apprehended. At that moment, Joseph asked the clerk to switch the courtroom recorder off — an apparent move to conceal the conversation and a direct violation of Massachusetts courtroom rules, according to the indictment.

When the recording came back on, the three agreed to release the illegal alien. However, instead of letting Medina-Perez out through the courtroom lobby, which is what’s typically done, the judge allegedly instructed him to be released through the rear exit, which leads to a parking lot. This order was never relayed over to the ICE officer, who waited in the lobby for hours. (Read more from “How a U.S. Judge Allegedly Helped an Illegal Alien Escape Ice” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE