Aamer Madhani, and Kevin Johnson

USA TODAY

CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors have indicated they may call on an alleged sexual abuse victim of former House speaker Dennis Hastert and the sister of another alleged victim to testify at the ex-lawmaker’s sentencing hearing next month.

The remarks in court mark the first time that prosecutors have publicly aired allegations of sexual misconduct by the former speaker.

In an unannounced hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors told Judge Thomas Durkin that they recently interviewed a man, identified as Individual D, who is weighing whether to testify against Hastert, according to a partial transcript of the proceedings made public Wednesday.

“He is deciding whether he would like to ask the court to appear as a witness at the sentencing,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Block told the court. “He's not a hundred percent certain he wants to do that, but he has been moving in that direction.”

Hastert, 74, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally structuring bank withdrawals to pay hush money to someone to cover up misconduct committed decades ago. In court documents, prosecutors only said that Hastert agreed to pay the person, identified only as “Individual A,” $3.5 million, but did not specify what the misconduct was.

Federal law enforcement officials, who ask not to be identified, previously told USA TODAY that Hastert made illegally structured withdrawals as part of an effort to conceal a payoff he was making for sexual misconduct he committed against a male student decades earlier when he worked at a high school in Yorkville, Ill., as a teacher and wrestling coach.

John Gallo, an attorney for Hastert, said “it is not our present intention to contest the allegations made by Individual D.”

But Thomas Green, co-counsel for Hastert, indicated that Individual D may have sought medical or psychological help. The attorney suggested that treatment could be subject of his cross-examination of the witness and that he would need access to the witness’ medical records.

“I mean, if he’s going to come, I need to be prepared to cross-examine,’’ Green said.

Durkin said that “if Individual D wants to come in and talk about being a victim of sexual abuse, he's entitled to do so because that informs my decision about the history and characteristics of the defendant. It's that simple."

Green described the second person — who also was not identified — as someone “who has been very public in her remarks.”

Soon after Hastert was charged last year, Jolene Burdge told ABC News that her late brother, Steve Reinboldt, confided to her before he died that he was the victim of four years of sexual abuse by Hastert. Reinboldt graduated in 1971 and died in 1995.

Green said the sister of the alleged victim would be providing “hearsay” evidence that would not benefit the court.

“In all of the accounts that this woman has given in the press, at least the ones I've seen … she did not come forth with any details of what – or any, you know, specific allegations of conduct on the part of my client,” Green said according to the transcript. “And it appears that she may well not be in possession of any details, even if, indeed, there are details. So, I don't know exactly what she would offer or what benefit the Court would receive from her hearsay statements which have been, as I say, publicized widely up to this point in time.”

Prosecutors previously recommended Hastert be sentenced zero to six months in prison.

Hastert has been in poor health since soon after he pleaded guilty in October. He suffered a small stroke and has been debilitated by blood and spinal infections.

Because of his health problems, Durkin agreed to postpone his sentencing, initially scheduled for late February.

The judge agreed on Tuesday to another delay so Individual D can potentially testify.

The new hearing date has been set for April 27.

Follow USA TODAY Chicago correspondent Aamer Madhani on Twitter: @AamerISmad