MADISON, Wis. (AP) — An immigrant who was arrested after a judge in Wisconsin allegedly assisted him in dodging federal agents has been sentenced to time served for illegally reentering the United States.

U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper sentenced 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz on Wednesday in Milwaukee after he reached an agreement with prosecutors not to contest his deportation. Flores-Ruiz has spent nearly seven months in jail since his arrest in April. Judge Pepper cautioned him that harsher penalties await if he ever attempts to return to the country.

“I very much hope you can find a way to make a living back home rather than coming back here,” she advised Flores-Ruiz.

Through a translator, Flores-Ruiz apologized for his illegal entry into the U.S., expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work here, and pledged never to return.

Flores-Ruiz, hailing from Michoacan, Mexico, had initially crossed into the U.S. from Nogales at age 18 in 2013. His group was apprehended and deported soon after crossing. He attempted to reenter the U.S. shortly thereafter and found himself lost in the Arizona desert for a month before making his way to Milwaukee to reunite with family.

He subsequently worked at various restaurants and food trucks for about 12 years.

His legal troubles began earlier this year when he was charged with misdemeanor battery after an altercation with a roommate. U.S. immigration agents became aware of his status after the Milwaukee County Jail submitted his fingerprints.

On April 18, immigration agents planned to arrest Flores-Ruiz at a courthouse when Judge Hannah Dugan, presiding over his case, reportedly led him out through a hidden exit. Dugan was arrested the following week and indicted for obstruction.

This incident intensified the conflict between the Trump administration's immigration policies and local authorities, raising concerns about judicial independence.

After pleading guilty to the reentry charge in September, Flores-Ruiz agreed to the terms of a plea deal that included a recommendation for a time-served sentence. He could have faced up to two years in prison. State prosecutors also dropped two of three battery charges against him in October in a related plea arrangement.

Currently, Flores-Ruiz is in custody at the Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin, waiting for deportation, as confirmed by his attorney Martin Pruhs.