CINCINNATI (AP) — A 23-year-old ex-convict accused of pulling a cruel hoax by pretending to be a long-missing Illinois boy was charged Friday with making false statements to federal authorities.
The FBI said Brian Rini had made false claims twice before, portraying himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim.
The Medina, Ohio, man was jailed in Cincinnati on Thursday, a day after telling authorities he was 14-yearold Timmothy Pitzen, who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. The FBI declared Rini’s story a hoax after performing a DNA test.
The charge should send a message about the damage such false claims can do, said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman.
“It’s not OK to do it because of the harm that it causes, the pain, for the family of that missing child,” Glassman said.
Rini’s story had briefly raised hope among Timmothy’s relatives that the youngster’s disappearance had finally been solved after eight long years. But those hopes were dashed when the test results came back.
“It’s devastating. It’s like reliving that day all over again,” said Timmothy’s aunt Kara Jacobs.
Rini was jailed for a bail hearing on Tuesday.
