A Howard County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of international parental kidnapping. The indictment follows a custody dispute involving Tahseen Dakheel Samo, 36, of Columbia, Maryland.
According to court documents, both Samo and his former spouse are U.S. citizens with family in Sweden. In December 2020, while Samo’s ex-wife and their minor son were visiting relatives in Sweden, Samo traveled there as well. He then took his son from his ex-wife and returned to the United States with the child. At one point, Samo sent a message to his ex-wife stating, “You will never see your son again.”
The child remained in Samo’s custody during ongoing divorce and custody proceedings that began in April 2024 in the Circuit Court for Howard County. In November 2024, flight records indicated that Samo and the child traveled to Denmark; however, only Samo returned to the United States. He did not inform either his ex-wife or the court about the child's location.
In October 2025, the court awarded sole legal and physical custody of the child to Samo’s ex-wife and ordered him to surrender the child or disclose his whereabouts. When he failed to comply, he was held in contempt of court.
Samo was released from contempt on November 29. On December 12, authorities from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and FBI arrested him in Arlington, Virginia. The child was later found in Sweden on January 27, 2026, and subsequently returned to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced the indictment alongside officials from several agencies involved in the investigation: Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of FBI Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs of USMS District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jacob Cameron of Army Criminal Investigation Division – Washington Field Office; and Chief Gregory Der of Howard County Police Department.
“An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding,” according to officials.
If convicted on international parental kidnapping charges, Samo could face up to three years in federal prison. Sentences for federal crimes are often less than maximum penalties as determined by federal judges who consider sentencing guidelines and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended all agencies involved for their work on this case as well as assistance from Swedish authorities: “Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Elliot Higgins who are prosecuting this federal case.”
Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
