NEW YORK — A Minnesota man has been formally charged by a federal grand jury for allegedly posing as an FBI agent in an audacious attempt to break a prisoner out of a New York jail.

Mark Anderson, 36, is accused of visiting the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on January 28, masquerading as a federal agent with a supposed court order for the release of inmate Luigi Mangione.

According to federal prosecutors, Anderson presented a Minnesota driver’s license when detention center staff requested his credentials. He also reportedly bombarded the officers with various documents to support his claims.

Authorities reported that Anderson was found carrying a bag containing unusual items for the situation: a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter.

Anderson now faces charges for falsely impersonating a federal officer.

Meanwhile, Mangione continues to be held at MDC-Brooklyn as he awaits both federal and state trials linked to the December 2024 assassination-style murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

SEE RELATED: Mangione speaks out in court as his state trial is tentatively set for June