Former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn, responsible for leaking former President Trump’s tax returns, was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Judge Ana Reyes condemned Littlejohn’s actions, calling the leak “an intolerable attack on our constitutional democracy.” The sentence includes 36 months of supervised release and a $5,000 fine.

Reyes emphasized the importance of lawful means to address concerns, stating, “There are numerous lawful means to bring things to light. Trump was under no obligation to expose his returns. People could vote for someone else. They could run against him.”

Littlejohn, who sought his IRS consultant job to leak Trump’s returns, had previously worked for Booz Allen from 2008 to 2013. Prosecutors argued that his return to the company in 2017 was a strategic move to gain access to private tax information.

Littlejohn considered Trump a threat to democracy and allegedly “weaponized his access to unmasked taxpayer data” to advance his political agenda.

The Department of Justice stated that Littlejohn’s actions undermined legal protections for sensitive data, emphasizing the importance of a free press while condemning the theft and leaking of private tax information.

Judge Reyes echoed prosecutors, noting that Littlejohn had crafted a long-term plan to violate Trump’s privacy. “He did not make a snap judgment. He made a series of decisions. This court cannot let others view this conduct as acceptable. I need to send the strongest possible message that we are a nation of laws,” Reyes stated.

Former President Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment to Fox News Digital.