Brian Rini impersonated Timmothy Pitzen is jailed for two years.
The 24-year-old Illinois man who pretended to be missing boy Timmothy Pitzen has been sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft in a deal with prosecutors.
Brian Michael Rini, 24, briefly dangled the hope of a happy ending in April, when he turned up on the street in Newport, Kentucky, and claimed to be a kidnap victim fleeing sex traffickers that he’d left behind in a Red Roof Inn.
He gave as his name Timmothy Pitzen, who then would have been 14.
A DNA test soon revealed Rini’s true identity. He was an ex-con recently released after being imprisoned for stealing and burglary who’d previously tried to pass himself off as a sex trafficking victim. He told authorities he adopted Timmothy’s identity after learning about Timmothy’s case and his father’s devoted search on ABC News’ 20/20, according to a criminal complaint that charged him with making false statements to a federal agent.
His decision to plead guilty to aggravated identity theft was revealed in a court filing last week, reports the Associated Press and Cincinnati TV station WCPO.
He was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison with credit for time already served, reports WOIO.
