Man banned from Ohio U campuses after terroristic threats

Photo via: Raymond Wambsgans from Akron Ohio, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This article has been updated and corrected to reflect the most recent and accurate information as of 9/20 at 5:45 p.m.

On Sept. 3, Michael Rinthalukay, going under the screen name “Mike Rinks,” was taken into custody by the Athens Police Department. Rinthalukay is currently being accused of having weapons while under disability, a felony of the third degree; making terroristic threats, a felony of the third degree; and inducing panic, a felony of the fifth degree, according to the Athens County Prosecutor. 

Rinthalukay, 28, is a former Chaplain Assistant in the U.S. Army, as stated by his personal Linkedin page. 

After being initially detained, Rinthalukay remains in custody, but this was after he began to make a series of disturbing social media posts on public, student-used and university-oriented groups on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. The posts began with a recorded conversation with the police. These posts also included screenshots of messages between Rinthalukay and other female students, asking for sexual favors, attempting to provoke students into physical altercations and using explicit insults toward other students. 

The social media posts were made before he was detained on Sept. 3. The posts were a series of screenshots of pictures of women who he claims were asking for consensual sex. In some of these posts, however, Rinthalukay is seen asking these women for “nudes.” Some of the women in these screenshots express concerns over Rinthalukay being 28 years old, something Rinthalukay dismisses by using sexually explicit language to explain it is not an issue because they are over 18 years old and adults. 

The prosecutor released a statement on Facebook on Sept. 9, stating that Rinthalukay possessed an AR-15 despite being prohibited from possessing a firearm in Athens County. Additionally, the prosecutor cited a number of social media posts that include Rinthalukay shooting firearms as one of the motivations to detain him. 

A statement released by OUPD on Sept. 5 stated that Rinthalukay’s actions had been investigated and “appropriate action” had been taken. “At this time, we do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community,” the statement read. 

Rinthalukay has been banned from all Ohio U campuses. OUPD stated that anyone who encounters Rinthalukay on any campus in the future should call 911 and share their exact location. 

According to the Athens County Prosecutor, Rinthalukay is currently being held in Franklin County Jail. He will be moved to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail upon notification from Franklin County and a pending Rule 4 hearing. 

Multiple law offices in Ohio confirm that the punishment for having weapons under disability carried a sentence of 9-36 months of jail time. Making terrorist threats is a crime that carries a penalty of three years in state prison. Finally, inducing a panic in Ohio carries 180 days in jail and a $1000 fine. 

Rinthalukay’s bond has not been posted. He is being held on a $500,000 with no 10% allowed.