NEW YORK, March 20. /TASS/. The US Department of Justice considers providing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with an option to plead guilty of improper handling of classified information under a softer charge, The Wall Street Journal reports citing its sources.

According to the sources, such step would open an opportunity to strike a deal that would put an end to the protracted legal saga, caused by one of the largest leaks of classified US information in history. In the recent months, representatives of the Department of Justice and Assange’s lawyers held preliminary negotiation on what the deal might look like. Assange has already spent about five years behind bars, and the US prosecutors faced the fact that he will spend much longer, even if Assange get convicted in the US.

Meanwhile, the newspaper notes that the negotiations are currently suspended and may stop at all.

In the US, Assange is being accused of crimes, connected with the largest case of classified data leak in the American history. All charges combined carry up to 175 years of imprisonment. In February, the High Court of London held a two-day hearing reviewing Assange’s appeal against extradition to the US. This hearing may become the last to be held in the UK for the 52-year-old Australian.

The High Court of London is expected to announce its verdict before the end of March. Julian’s spouse Stella Assange said that she will be notified two days ahead before the announcement of the verdict.