Sanders County man convicted in international kidnapping case

A Heron man was convicted on Wednesday by a federal Missoula jury of kidnapping his son and taking him to Central America, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A jury found Jacob I. Strong, also known as Jacob I. Guill, 37, guilty of international parental kidnapping following a two-day trial that started on Tuesday, a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated. He previously pleaded not guilty last August. 

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 27 in U.S. District Court. He faces a possible maximum penalty of three years and a $250,000 fine.

Strong is at the Missoula jail awaiting sentencing.

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Prosecutors alleged Strong and his former wife developed a parenting plan in January 2020 for their shared son, who was 2-years-old at the time. In August 2021, Strong didn’t bring the child back to his mother in Thompson Falls as planned.

Law enforcement couldn’t find Strong, and still didn’t locate him after an arrest warrant was issued. In January 2022, FBI agents discovered Strong was living in Costa Rica with the boy, according to court documents. Federal authorities estimated Strong left the U.S. in

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