A Florida man has been indicted for allegedly mailing a letter containing what officials called a "suspicious white powder" to the New York State Attorney General’s Office in Albany, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

According to federal officials, Henry Garcia, 63, of Vero Beach, Florida, is accused of mailing a letter on Feb. 22, 2024, that officials say was "reasonably believed to contain a biological weapon."

The DOJ says the white powder was not hazardous, but was intended to appear as a biological weapon and to threaten state Attorney General Letitia James.

"No public servant, regardless of political affiliation, should be subjected to this kind of despicable, abhorrent conduct, which is clearly meant to intimidate and threaten public officials in the exercise of their official duties," United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said in a statement. "Anyone engaging in this type of behavior – targeting New York State officials in Albany – should expect to be prosecuted in the Northern District of New York to the fullest extent of the law and no plea bargain will be offered for this conduct.”

Garcia faces a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years, according to officials.

The DOJ says Garcia made an initial appearance Wednesday in Florida and is being detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 30.