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Man convicted of kidnapping child from estranged wife in Jacksonville, taking 2-year-old to Turkey

A man with dual citizenship in the United States and Turkey has been convicted of kidnapping his own child from his estranged wife in Jacksonville then taking the child to Turkey.

Salih Zeki Uces, 39, returned to the United States with the child in Dec. 2016 upon learning of a warrant out for his arrest. He was taken into custody by FBI agents at Miami International Airport and child was returned to his mother.

Days before taking the child during an overnight visit in Jacksonville, Uces went through his estranged wife’s apartment, stole her passport and discovered a draft document for divorce in her email. He then flew with the child to Adana, Turkey.

Federal courts records go on to show Uces, originally, had no intentions of returning to the U.S. – he signed over power of attorney to his brother and closed out his safety deposit box at a bank.

Despite repeated calls from his estranged wife to return the child, Uces stayed in Turkey for several months. It wasn’t until he learned of a warrant issued for his arrest that he returned with the child to the U.S. in Nov. 2016.

Uces faces up to three years in federal prison and will be sentenced in June.

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