John Bolton indicted by a federal grand jury on 18 counts under the Espionage Act.

The indictment in Greenbelt, Md., federal court alleges that Bolton transmitted classified national security documents through a personal AOL email account and knowingly sent secret materials to outside contacts while serving in the first Trump administration.

Prosecutors allege that Bolton, 76, used email and various messaging apps to send documents classified as high as “top secret” that revealed intelligence about future US attacks, foreign adversaries and international relations.

The former US ambassador to the United Nations also kept diary-like notes of his daily activities and assessments, more than 1,000 pages of which he shared with two relatives — believed to be his wife and daughter — who did not have security clearances and were not authorized to see the information Bolton shared. […]

Federal agents searched Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington, DC, office on Aug. 22 in connection with the long-running investigation, which FBI sources told The Post was mysteriously “shelved” during the administration of Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

During those searches, investigators retrieved documents related to weapons of mass destruction, the US mission to the United Nations, strategic government communications and secret travel memos, according to court records.

Even if Bolton had no intention of releasing the information, he could be held liable if sensitive documents were left lying around where others could get to it — a legal provision that applies to his personal email account as well.

“They are very difficult cases to defend against because it is in essence a simple analysis! Is the document classified? It in your possession? Did you purposefully possess the document in question?”

You be the judge.

Sean Davis: John Bolton is in deep trouble.