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According to the complaint, when Bureau of Prisons officials requested identification from the man, he presented a Minnesota driver’s license.
The man reportedly mentioned that he had weapons in his bag.
Anderson is accused of then tossing paperwork at the BOP officers.
An FBI agent noted in the complaint that these documents seemed to pertain to legal actions against the Justice Department.
The complaint further states that a search of Anderson’s backpack by prison officials uncovered a barbecue-style fork and a circular steel blade.
Anderson travelled to New York for a potential job that didn’t work out and had been working at a pizzeria before his arrest, the law enforcement source told CNN.
It isn’t clear what connection, if any, he has to Mangione.
CNN has reached out to Mangione’s attorney.
Anderson, who is charged with one count of falsely pretending to be an officer of the US government, is expected to appear in federal court in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon.
Mangione has been held at the federal jail since his arrest in December 2024 for the suspected murder of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson.
He is facing federal and state murder charges and has pleaded not guilty.
The judge overseeing his federal trial last week said jury selection in that case would begin on September 8, with opening statements commencing in October if she ruled the Justice Department could not pursue the death penalty — or in January 2027 if the capital charge remains.
A ruling is expected today.
On Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which first filed murder charges, asked the judge overseeing the state case to order its trial for July — two months before the federal case.
Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann said the murder took place in Manhattan, the investigation was led by his office and the New York Police Department, and the state indictment was returned before a federal complaint was filed.
“The State has an overriding interest in trying this defendant for the cold-blooded execution of Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. It resulted in the tragic death of a guest to our city on our streets,” he wrote.
“Federal law supports our request that we proceed first and our right to a speedy resolution of this case would be severely compromised should the federal trial proceed first.”
In a statement, Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said they needed time to prepare for the federal trial.
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