Shana Gaviola, 38, was convicted of interstate violation of a protective order after orchestrating the kidnapping of her 16-year-old son. "Shana Gaviola paid individuals to kidnap her then-16-year-old son from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, California, drive him in handcuffs to Missouri, and forcibly restrain him there for a week—all in express violation of a state-court domestic violence restraining order and ostensibly in the exercise of Gaviola’s religious beliefs," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced the verdict, emphasizing the prosecution of actions that threaten minors’ safety, while FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Duel Valentine stated, "We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Fresno Police Department. Together, we uncovered the facts that ultimately led to today’s verdict." Gaviola’s son had previously sought emancipation in 2020, legally barring his mother from contacting him, but she violated this protective order by forcibly taking him to Missouri, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
On August 21, 2021, Gaviola arranged for a teenager to be abducted from a Fresno ice-skating rink. The teen was handcuffed, forced into a vehicle, and driven more than 24 hours to a youth facility in Stockton, Missouri, where he remained until his father intervened. The FBI, with help from the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Heiko P. Coppola are prosecuting, with support from U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Missouri. Gaviola is scheduled for sentencing on April 27, 2026, facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
