MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge overseeing a lawsuit that claims the Minnesota Sex Offender Program is unconstitutional has ordered the state to show why one man should not be “immediately and unconditionally” released, after experts said there is little evidence to suggest he is a risk.

It is believed to be the first time experts have recommended that anyone in the state’s sex offender treatment program be freed since U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank appointed the panel to evaluate whether patients are receiving appropriate treatment.

According to Frank’s ruling, the experts unanimously recommended on May 18 that the patient should be released. The experts’ report is under seal, but Frank cites it throughout his order.

The experts found that the patient, whom Frank identifies as E.T., was committed to MSOP at age 19 due the sex offenses he committed between the ages of 10 and 14, and has no adult criminal history. It appears he completed sex offender treatment before he was placed at MSOP and it is “unlikely that he requires additional intervention in this regard,” the experts found.

Frank’s order did not elaborate on details of the patient’s case, including how long he has been in the program.