A Minnesota man is now embroiled in legal troubles after he allegedly attempted to liberate an accused murderer from a New York detention facility on Wednesday. The unfolding drama centers around 35-year-old Mark Anderson, a resident of Mankato, who reportedly posed as an FBI agent in a bold, yet ill-fated, effort to free Luigi Mangione.

Anderson approached the Metropolitan Detention Center’s intake area, confidently claiming to be an agent and presenting purported judicial paperwork that supposedly sanctioned Mangione’s release. However, his ruse fell apart when, upon request to verify his identity, he could only produce a Minnesota driver’s license, as reported by NBC News.

Further suspicion was aroused when jail staff inspected Anderson’s backpack, uncovering a barbecue fork and a peculiar round steel blade akin to a pizza cutter, rather than any genuine law enforcement tools.

In a subsequent affidavit, an FBI agent remarked on the papers Anderson carried, noting they seemed related to filing claims against the U.S. Department of Justice, rather than any legitimate release documents.

According to a law enforcement source cited by NBC, Anderson’s presence in New York was initially tied to a job opportunity that ultimately did not materialize. It appears he had been working at a pizzeria, which might explain the unusual contents of his backpack.

Anderson is due in court on Thursday.

[Feature Photo: Shannon Stapleton/Pool Photo via AP]