Hearing set in January for man on missing child claim

CINCINNATI (AP) — A judge has found that a 24-year-old man authorities say claimed to be a long-missing child is competent to stand trial.

U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett on Thursday scheduled a Jan. 8, 2020, status conference in the case of Brian Michael Rini (REE’-nee), of Medina (muh-DYE’-nuh), Ohio. A June trial was postponed after questions were raised about his competence. Rini has pleaded not guilty.

Rini was spotted April 3 wandering the streets of Newport, Kentucky, where police say he claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen, an Aurora, Illinois, boy who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. Authorities said Rini told them he escaped captors who sexually abused him.

Federal authorities said DNA testing revealed his true identity.

He could face eight years in prison if convicted of aggravated identity theft and lying to FBI agents.