Kidnapping Suspect Returned From Costa Rica Appears in Missoula

36-year-old Jacob Strong appeared in Missoula Federal Court on Friday morning to face charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution after he and his mother, Candace Bright, were indicted on a warrant that was issued in September 2021 for kidnapping Strong’s four-year-old son from his custodial mother.

We spoke to FBI Public Information Officer Sandra Yi Barker in Salt Lake City about the case.

“Jacob Strong was recently transported back to Montana and he did have an arraignment this morning in Missoula (Federal District Court) at 9:30 a.m.,” said Barker. “Jacob Strong was wanted in a parental interference case that stemmed back to 2021. The FBI arrested him in Costa Rica earlier this summer on a UFAB warrant which is Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution, and at that time, his four-year-old son was also located safely. He has since been reunited with his mother.”

Barker provided more information about the case.

“In June, Strong was transported by Costa Rican immigration officials to Miami where he was taken into custody by agents from our office,” she said.  “Sometime early June Strong and his mother Candice Bright were indicted in the United States District Court for the District of Montana on two counts of conspiracy to commit international parental kidnapping and false statements.”

Barker expressed her thanks to the many law enforcement agencies that helped to bring the two suspects to justice and safely return the child to his mother.

“We just want to thank the numerous law enforcement agencies that were involved in this investigation,” she said. “We also want to thank the public for the tips and for the media for getting the word out.”

Strong appeared on Friday morning in Missoula Federal District Court before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto.

Conspiracy to commit international parental kidnapping carries a possible penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

International parental kidnapping carries a three-year prison term, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. False statements made to federal officials carry another five-year prison term, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

Information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.