XENIA — A Fairborn man accused of attempting to kidnap a young girl was found not guilty by reason of insanity this week.

Reid C. Duran, 36, was, however, found guilty of felonious assault on a peace officer, and felony escape following a trial that lasted more than a week in Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Buckwalter’s courtoom.

According to a release from Greene County Prosecuting Attorney David D. Hayes, Duran entered St. Brigid Catholic School in Xenia around 5:40 p.m. Aug. 22, 2022, when the school was holding a back-to-school open house and ice cream social event — open to students and their families. Duran changed clothes to “blend in,” and made repeated, false representations that he was the father of a five-year-old girl who was entering kindergarten, the release said.

According to police, Principal Terry Adkins, became suspicious throughout the event and kept a watchful eye on Duran. Adkins was able to determine that Duran was not the child’s father and immediately called 911. Officers with the Xenia Police Division responded and began questioning Duran, who — according to police — eventually admitted he came to St. Brigid to kidnap a child for the purpose of facilitating a sexual assault. Duran voluntarily agreed to be interviewed at Xenia police headquarters.

Inside the interview room, police said Duran picked up a pen that was sitting on the interview room table and without warning or provocation, attempted to stab a Xenia police officer in the neck. The officer was able to deflect the assault and take Duran into custody. During a subsequent interview, police said Duran made additional statements concerning his plan to kidnap the child from St. Brigid. At the conclusion of the interview, Duran attempted to escape custody, according to officials.

This attempt was stopped by another Xenia officer.

Duran faces a maximum sentence of 19 to 24 1/2 years for the two guilty counts (assault is a first-degree felony, escape is a second-degree felony). The court will then determine if Duran will be subjected to placement in a state mental institution for the offense in which he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

“Reid Duran is dangerous,” Hayes said in the release. “He attacked a police officer at the police station and then he tried to escape. The reason he was at the police station is because he went to an elementary school with the expressed purpose of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a child. I am thankful for the jury’s time and consideration of this case, and while I disagree with their verdict on the attempted kidnapping charge, I respect that, in our system of justice, it was their decision to make.”

Hayes commended the officers and detectives who worked on the case and said he will be asking for the maximum sentence.

“The protection of children from violent offenders and sexual predators is and will continue to remain a top priority of my office,” Hayes said. “Anyone who attacks a police officer should be behind bars. My office will also be seeking to have the defendant institutionalized for as long as possible to further protect the community.”

The case was presented by Greene County Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Michele Henne and Christian Cavalier. They were assisted by Victim Advocate Rebecca Walsh.