A cross-country commercial flight was diverted to the Twin Cities after a passenger openly snorted cocaine and made threatening statements and gestures to passengers, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Mark A. Scerbo, 42, of Mechanicville, N.Y., was taken by police off the Jet Blue flight Sunday afternoon from New York to San Francisco at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and charged Tuesday with cocaine possession in connection with his unruly behavior that included food being thrown and claims of being Genghis Khan and a cryptocurrency executive.

Scerbo, whose criminal history includes convictions for illicit drugs, remains in federal custody before a court appearance Monday. His attorney was not immediately available to comment.

A felony drug count filed in Hennepin County District Court said police seized a backpack holding nearly $3,700.

According to the state and federal complaints, citing witness accounts:

Scerbo threw food on the floor, grabbed his metal butter knife and held it upward in his fist while walking up and down the aisle. At times, he sang and did yoga-like movements in passengers' faces.

Scerbo

A woman seated next to him said Scerbo appeared agitated before the plane took off. He told her about nanobots, angels and a peace army.

She asked Scerbo whether he was on drugs, and he replied, " 'Of course not. Look me in the third eye," the complaint quoted him as saying. He later told her, "I love you."

The woman said Scerbo visited the bathroom about six times and she saw him snort cocaine. The drug was "all over his mustache, face and pants," the complaint read. After she fled to another seat, Scerbo walked past and patted her on the head.

The plane landed in the Twin Cities, where airport police arrested Scerbo and seized from him nearly an ounce of cocaine along with the stash of cash. He told police the powder was a dietary supplement.

paul.walsh@startribune.com

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