BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 36-year-old man has admitted he kidnapped his minor child from Brownsville and took her to Mexico City, Mexico, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Ismail Khaleel Al Gebory, of San Antonio, had taken the child during a weekend visitation and fled to Mexico.
The mother had sole custody of the child, but Al Gebory had regular visitation. He would travel from his residence in San Antonio to Brownsville on Friday evenings and would return the child to the mother on Sundays. However, on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, Al Gebory picked up the child but did not return her that weekend in violation of the divorce decree between him and the child’s mother. After picking up the child, he drove to Mexico City, Mexico, and stayed at a hotel with the minor child.
The mother contacted authorities and told them Al Gebory had relatives in Iraq. While in Mexico, Al Gebory visited the Iraqi Embassy and attempted to obtain travel documents for the minor child. On Feb. 23, 2017, Mexican Customs detained Al Gebory before entering the Iraqi Embassy. The next day, the FBI took him into custody.
At the time of the arrest, the child was with him, but has since been returned to the mother.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen accepted the plea today and set sentencing for Feb. 6, 2018. At that time, Al Gebory faces up to three years in federal prison. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI, Department of State and the Brownsville Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Mexican Customs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Esquivel Jr. and Ana C. Cano are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
