ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A judge has questioned the viability of a prosecution against a man accused of illegally building hundreds of untraceable rifle silencers under what had been a secret contract with the Navy Seals.

At a pretrial hearing Friday, Judge Leonie (LAY’-uh-nee) Brinkema suggested that there may be classified evidence in the case that shows California race-car mechanic Mark Landersman had legitimate — but off-the-books — authorization to build the silencers from the Navy. If so, she said, she doubted that prosecutors could win their case.