Following a five-day jury trial, Shana Gaviola, 38, formerly of Clovis, was convicted of violating a protection order by arranging for her estranged teenage son to be taken from California to Missouri against his will. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
“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,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “No parent—indeed, no person whatsoever—has the right to subject a child to kidnapping and terror for that reason or any other reason. This office will continue to vigorously prosecute anyone who violates the basic rights and safety of minors in our district, especially in violation of lawful court orders.”
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. Shana Gaviola manipulated others to help force her will upon her son. We are very proud of his resolve throughout this investigation and trial. He will rest easier knowing that justice has been served.”
Court records and trial testimony showed that Gaviola’s son began living with another family in 2020 and sought emancipation from his mother. He obtained a domestic violence protection order from Fresno County Superior Court prohibiting Gaviola from contacting or harassing him.
Despite this order, on August 21, 2021, individuals working on behalf of Gaviola abducted the minor from an ice-skating rink in Fresno. The boy was handcuffed and transported by car over 24 hours to Stockton, Missouri, where he was held at a youth facility until his father intervened.
The case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from local police departments including those in Fresno and Clovis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. AlegrĂa and Heiko P. Coppola prosecuted the case with support from U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Missouri.
Gaviola is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 27, 2026. She faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; however, the actual sentence will depend on statutory factors considered by the court.
