FRESNO, California — Shana Gaviola, a 38-year-old formerly of Clovis, was found guilty of violating a protection order by orchestrating the kidnapping of her teenage son from California to Missouri, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. The verdict followed a five-day jury trial.
Gaviola paid individuals to abduct her then-16-year-old son from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, California, and transport him in handcuffs to Missouri, where he was forcibly restrained for a week, according to U.S. Attorney Grant. This act was in direct violation of a state-court domestic violence restraining order. “No parent—indeed, no person whatsoever—has the right to subject a child to kidnapping and terror for that reason or any other reason,” Grant stated.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Duel Valentine praised the partnership with the Fresno Police Department, stating, “Together, we uncovered the facts that ultimately led to today’s verdict.”…