Police: Man who spent 12 hours in jail was victim of identity theft

BOARDMAN -- A Youngstown man who spent nearly 12 hours in county jail after being arrested by Boardman Township officers apparently was the victim of identity theft.
The 21-year-old man was jailed early Wednesday after police discovered what they thought was a warrant for his arrest out of Youngstown Municipal Court for failing to appear in October 2001 on charges of violating a noise ordinance and driving without a license, said Boardman Police Chief Jeffrey L. Patterson.
The warrant was discovered when the man was stopped about 4 a.m. by an officer who saw him riding his bicycle behind businesses on Market Street, Patterson said.
When the man was taken to the county jail, sheriff's officials discovered that he was not the same man who was arrested in October.
The man arrested in October was the 24-year-old brother of the man arrested Wednesday and had given police the bogus identification information, said Maj. Michael Budd of the sheriff's department.
The 21-year-old man was released Wednesday afternoon after a municipal judge determined that he was not the person originally arrested.
Budd said his department is investigating the case and the warrant will be transferred to the older brother's name. He said further charges are pending.