Howard County Man Indicted on International Parental Kidnapping Charges

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Howard County man for international kidnapping.

Tahseen Dakheel Samo, 36, of Columbia, Maryland, is charged with international parental kidnapping stemming from a divorce and custody battle over his minor child.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Special Agent in Charge Jacob Cameron, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division – Washington Field Office; and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD).

According to court documents, Samo and his former spouse, who are both U.S. citizens, have family members living in Sweden. In December 2020, while Samo’s ex-wife and their minor son visited family in Sweden, Samo traveled to Sweden to visit the minor victim.

When Samo arrived, he took his son from his former spouse and came back to the United States with him. At some point, Samo texted his ex-wife, “You will never see your son again.”

The minor victim remained in Samo’s custody, thereafter, including during the divorce and custody proceedings that began in April 2024, in the Circuit Court for Howard County.

Then in November 2024, flight records show that Samo and the minor child flew to Denmark, but only Samo returned to the U.S. Samo did not disclose the location of the minor victim to his ex-wife or the court.

Eventually, in October 2025, the court granted Samo’s ex-wife sole legal and physical custody of the minor child. The custody order required Samo to surrender his son to his ex-wife or disclose his location. Samo did not comply with the order, so the court held him in contempt.

On November 29, Samo was released from contempt. Then on December 12, the USMS and FBI arrested Samo in Arlington, Virginia. Authorities later located the child in Sweden on January 27, 2026, and returned him to the U.S.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

If convicted, Samo faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for international parental kidnapping. 

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, USMS, Army CID, and HCPD for their work in the investigation, and the Swedish Police Authority for their valuable assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Elliot Higgins who are prosecuting this federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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