GUILTY OH - Brian Michael Rini, charged with impersonating a long-missing child, Apr 2019

On Wed., an FBI agent spoke to BMR, told him she was an FBI agent. He identified as TP, gave her details about how he had been abducted, suffered physical and sexual abuse, and that he’d just recently escaped.
In this particular case, he looks so much older than 14. Can't believe anyone, especially FBI would take his claims seriously.
 
Yesterday, the FBI agents returned to speak to BMR, identifying themselves as such. Gave him Miranda warnings, and warned him that lying to a federal agent is a violation of federal law. The suspect again told them he was TP. Escaped from a hotel where he had been held captive.
 
Then the agents confronted him with the DNA results. Immediately the suspect stated he was not Timmothy. Agents already knew via the DNA results the individual was BMR.

Further investigation revealed on two prior occasions, BMR claimed to be a victim of juvenile sex trafficking, and on those occasions, true identity was discovered when he was fingerprinted.
 
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Federal criminal charges have been filed against BMR for lying to a federal agent. Punishable by up to eight years in federal prison as this case involves lying re: material info. about investigating involving sex trafficking of children.

On behalf of the US, my heart goes out to Timmothy’s family. Unimaginable pain.

Thanks law agencies involved.

Thanks prosecutors.

BMR appeared in court 45 minutes ago. Held without bond. Will have a detention hearing on Tuesday.
 
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I have always been under the impression that DNA tests took forever
Perhaps he did too and thought he would have more time.
DNA tests don't take forever. It only takes long when there is a backlog, meaning the lab has a lot of DNA to test ahead of whatever DNA needs to be tested in any particular case.
Otherwise DNA tests can be done quickly as obviously was done in this case.
 
Investigation is open and ongoing. Contact FBI's Cincinnati Office with tips as to BMR's location preceding the incident, etc.

Investigation re: Timmothy, of course, is ongoing. LE will do everything in their power to find the child.
 
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When the suspect was first found and taken to the hospital, he was interviewed by a forensic psychologist. Agents were skeptical.

Felt it was their duty to the family to follow up to confirm.

After scientific testing, it was determined the suspect was not Timmothy, and the suspect was in fact BMR.

Just lost connection :(.
 
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Huge thanks for the links to the Live presser & the highlights.

I was watching & my initial impression from what was said & carefully NOT said is that LE & possibly medical personnel were (more than) skeptical from the start, but did everything “by the book”.

And now they’re throwing “the book” at Rini.
 
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DNA tests don't take forever. It only takes long when there is a backlog, meaning the lab has a lot of DNA to test ahead of whatever DNA needs to be tested in any particular case.
Otherwise DNA tests can be done quickly as obviously was done in this case.
Well, I've learned that now!
 
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER | 8 minutes ago
“[SBM]

According to federal agents, Rini claimed to be Timmothy and had escaped from his captors after years of sexual and physical abuse.

Why?

Rini wanted to get away from his own family.

According to the FBI, Rini told investigators he heard about missing boy Timmothy Pitzen on TV’s 20/20, and said he wished he had a father like Timmothy’s. Officials said a rerun of the show had been aired in the last several weeks.

[SBM]

[U.S. Attorney Ben] Glassman said the search for Timmothy is still ongoing.

‘My heart goes out to the family of Timmothy Pitzen,’ Glassman said. ‘I can only imagine the pain they've been through.’

Herb Stapleton, a Cincinnati FBI acting special agent in charge, said, ‘false reports like this one can be painful to the families of victims,’ and also waste valuable law enforcement resources.

Stapleton said FBI agents had been speaking with Timmothy's family during the investigation this week.

[SBM]

Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco said her office performed the DNA analysis. It was completed Thursday afternoon.

Sammarco said Rini's DNA was compared to the DNA of Timmothy's parents. When that didn't match, Rini's DNA was entered into law enforcement databases.

Sammarco said this case has been difficult because ‘there's no greater win for law enforcement than to find a missing child.’

Glassman said law enforcement ‘moved heaven and earth to determine if they had found a missing child.’

I think there were suspicions relatively quickly,” he said, but the priority was to ‘ensure that under any circumstances a victim is getting the care they need.’

[SBM]

[Court] documents said the DNA provided indicated Rini ‘could not be related to Timmothy Pitzen's parents.’ The FBI database returned a hit for Rini.

After confronted by officers with his real identity, Rini said he heard Timmothy's story on ABC's 20/20.

‘He stated that he wanted to get away from his own family. When questioned further, Rini stated that he wished he had a father like Timmothy's because if he went missing, his father would just keep drinking,’ the complaint said.

[SBM]” (BBM)
Timmothy Pitzen imposter Brian Rini charged, says he learned of case by watching 20/20
 
Federal criminal charges have been filed against BMR for lying to a federal agent. Punishable by up to eight years in federal prison as it involves lying re: material info. about investigating involving sex trafficking of children.

On behalf of the US, my heart goes out to Timmothy’s family. Unimaginable pain.

Thanks law agencies involved.

Thanks prosecutors.

BMR appeared in court 45 minutes ago. Held without bond. Will have a detention hearing on Tuesday.
Good. Hope he gets the full 8 years.
 
Per WCPO 11:00 news...and this is still pretty strange to me. Brian is on probation from the last charge he was just in jail for up north. However, he still has not been charged with anything having to do with a crime here. Since he hasnt been charged, there is no mugshot, nor is he listed in Campbell County Detention Center. News guys have no clue as to where he is.
Since he seems to be off medication and IF he is still in the county and not back up north for parole violation, the only place he can be is one of two mental units in hospitals, one in Ft. Thomas, KY, the other in Cincinnati. IMHO

There are actually quite a few mental units/facilities here in Cincinnati, but my guess is that since he probably doesn't have insurance or $$ he would end up in the University of Cincinnati's Ridgeway unit.
 
There are actually quite a few mental units/facilities here in Cincinnati, but my guess is that since he probably doesn't have insurance or $$ he would end up in the University of Cincinnati's Ridgeway unit.

IMO, he needs such a facility. He’s not going to get the help he needs in prison, Moo.
Plud, once released, there’s no one to see he takes his meds as directed.
He’ll probably end up a lifer, at some point. In an adult prison.
I’d like to know more about his mom. How severe is her mental condition?
Jmo
 
Huge thanks for the links to the Live presser & the highlights.

I was watching & my initial impression from what was said & carefully NOT said is that LE & possibly medical personnel were (more than) skeptical from the start, but did everything “by the book”.

And now they’re throwing “the book” at Rini.
That's exactly the impression I got as well.

At one point during the press conference, Robert Brown, the FBI agent over the Louisville office (the third person to speak), even pointed out that LE did not give Timmothy's name (he meant at least initially, I assume).

If it weren't for social media, they probably would have kept this under wraps at least until the investigation was complete, just quietly letting Timmothy's family know what had happened, or perhaps never even made an announcement at all, IMO.
 
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