Judge orders release of government contractor accused of sharing classified info with WaPo reporter

A federal judge has ordered the release of a government contractor accused of sharing classified information with a reporter from The Washington Post. 

Prosecutors say that Aurelio Perez-Lugones disclosed classified information to Post reporter Hannah Natanson. 

U.S. District Judge Michael Maddox on Monday called the allegations "extremely grave" but said the release of Perez-Lugones, a Navy veteran, wouldn't pose any dangers if he were placed on home detention and barred from using internet-connected devices, Politico reported. 

In January, the FBI searched Natanson's home and seized devices and her phone as part of an investigation into the alleged disclosures. Natanson covers the Trump administration’s transformation of the federal government.