Albuquerque:
A physicist and his wife who are accused of trying to help Venezuela develop a nuclear weapon pleaded not guilty on Monday.
The couple, who both have worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, were arrested Friday after a sting operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The physicist, Pedro Leonardo Mascheroni, 75, was released to a halfway house by a federal magistrate, Don Svet, who imposed several conditions on his release, including that contact with his sisters and nieces, who live in Argentina, was subject to government monitoring.
Mascheroni's wife, Marjorie Roxby Mascheroni, also appeared before Judge Svet, who ordered her to house arrest. If convicted, both face up to life in prison.
A defense lawyer, Amy Sirignano, argued that Dr Mascheroni posed no national security risk. But Judge Svet said Dr Mascheroni "has the skill and science to build a bomb" and asked Sirignano why that would not be considered a danger to the community.
She replied that since a search warrant had been served at his Los Alamos home in October, Dr Mascheroni had cooperated with prosecutors, surrendered his passport and made no effort to flee. She said that he had spent most of his time working in his basement, continuing a 20-year effort to develop his theories of fusion.
"If he was out there selling national security secrets, the government should not have let him stay out for the last 11 months," Sirignano said.
Dr Mascheroni was shackled at the hands and feet for his court appearance. Seated next to other defendants in orange, red and blue jail jumpsuits, Dr Mascheroni wore a black polo shirt, white slacks and sandals.
Judge Svet questioned Mascheroni's claim that she needed a public defender. The judge said a financial statement showed the couple has $3,800 in monthly income and noted that the couple owned a $275,000 home and two vehicles, including a late-model Lexus.
In a 22-count indictment issued on Friday, the couple were accused of offering to help develop a nuclear weapon for Venezuela through dealings with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as a representative of Venezuela. The government is not making the accusation that Venezuela or anyone working for it sought American secrets.