U.S. Citizen Sentenced for Kidnapping Son in Russia

A Russian court sentenced U.S. citizen Daniel Joseph Schneider to six years in jail and fined him 100,000 roubles for kidnapping his son. Schneider attempted to leave Russia with his four-year-old son without the mother's permission. He was detained near Poland by Russia's border service.

A court in Russia's Kaliningrad region has sentenced U.S. citizen Daniel Joseph Schneider to six years in jail and imposed a fine of 100,000 roubles ($1,078) for kidnapping his son. Schneider attempted to leave Russia with the child without permission from the boy's mother.

The court specified that Schneider was apprehended on July 29, 2023, near Poland by Russia's border service while trying to cross the Russian border in a forest swamp. The child, who is a Russian citizen, was also with him.

Russian state TV channel Vesti reported that Schneider had sought the mother's consent to take the boy abroad, which she declined. Schneider's legal representatives were unavailable for immediate comment. This incident follows a major August prisoner exchange between Russia, the United States, and other nations involving 24 prisoners.

(With inputs from agencies.)