Boston, MA — A Boston Municipal Court judge has found a federal immigration enforcement agent in contempt of court after a man was taken into custody during an active trial.
The incident occurred when agent Brian Sullivan detained Wilson Martell-Lebron just outside the courthouse last week, as he was attending his trial. On Monday, Judge Mark Summerville ruled that the arrest disrupted the judicial process and violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
“It’s a case of violating a defendant’s right to be present at trial and confront witnesses against him,” the judge said from the bench. The charge against Martell-Lebron — for allegedly making false statements on a driver’s license application — was dismissed as a result.
Following the dismissal, the court filed a contempt charge against the agent, and the matter may now be reviewed further by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Martell-Lebron’s attorney, Ryan Sullivan, described the incident as troubling. “Law enforcement agents have a job to ensure justice is done. Preventing someone from exercising their constitutional right to a jury trial undermines that goal,” he said.
According to courtroom testimony, the arrest occurred without prior coordination with the court, and Martell-Lebron was not returned to continue the trial. He is currently being held at a detention facility pending immigration-related proceedings.
A key point in the judge’s decision was that Martell-Lebron’s removal took place after the trial had already begun, including opening statements and initial witness testimony. Had he been returned for the next session, the trial might have continued without dismissal.
During a two-day hearing, the court heard that local law enforcement and prosecutors were aware of the arrest plans. Massachusetts State Police later released a statement confirming that troopers neither aided nor interfered with the actions of the federal agents.
The situation has raised broader questions about how federal enforcement activities intersect with local judicial processes, particularly regarding the timing and location of arrests during ongoing trials.
