MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities said Thursday a Minnesota man is a "person of interest" in the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling, whose mother became a national advocate for the cause of missing children after his abduction in 1989.

The person of interest, who has not been charged in Wetterling's disappearance, was arrested Wednesday on separate child pornography charges.

Richard Thornton, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Minneapolis office, told a news conference that the man was originally questioned in the case but was looked at again when the team of investigators launched a full review aimed at bringing fresh eyes to the case. Wetterling was 11 when he was abducted on Oct. 22, 1989, near his home in the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph.

"The defendant has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling," U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said.

It wasn't immediately clear if the man had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. The federal defender's office in Minneapolis did not have a record for him in its system. The man had no home listing, and a cellphone listing for him was disconnected. A number listed for a possible brother did not work.

Thornton said improved forensic techniques allowed them to match the man's DNA to clothing worn by a young boy who was sexually assaulted in the same county about nine months before Jacob was abducted. That and other evidence was the basis for a search warrant carried out at the man's home July 28.

The application for the warrant says that authorities wanted to search for items including human remains, a red T-shirt with the name Wetterling on the back and a red hockey team jacket with the name Jacob stitched on the front.

Luger said child pornography found in the search led to the five charges announced Thursday. The man is charged with receipt of and possession of child pornography. Luger said authorities seized items including 19 3-ring binders that contained pictures of naked boys. Some of the boys were known victims of sexual exploitation. They also contained videotapes of boys carrying out routine activities such as delivering newspapers or riding bikes.

Some of that material was shot with a hidden camera, Luger said.

Jacob Wetterling's parents, Patty and Jerry Wetterling, released a statement Thursday that read: "The search for Jacob is an ongoing investigation and we will watch and learn like everyone else. Right now we know what is being reported. We know what you all know."

___

Follow Amy Forliti on Twitter: http://www.twitter/amyforliti