Lee's Summit Man Charged with Parental Kidnapping Following Amber Alert

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee's Summit man was charged in federal court today with parental kidnapping after taking his non-custodial children to Canada.

Steven M. Evans, 35, of Lee's Summit, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with taking two minor children to Canada with the intention to obstruct the lawful exercise of the parental rights of their mother and his ex-wife, Kelly Evans. Steven Evans remains in custody during his transport to the Western District of Missouri. An initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

According to an affidavit that was filed in support of today's complaint, an Amber alert was issued on Saturday, April 9, 2011. Steven Evans' mother, who was responsible for supervising his visitation with the children, contacted police and reported that he and the two children were missing. Under court order, Kelly Evans has sole legal custody of the children and they reside with her, except when Steven Evans has supervised visitation. The last time they were seen was about 10:30 p.m. the night before, and Steven Evans had not contacted either Kelly Evans or his mother. Investigators learned that he had withdrawn $1,000 from his bank account on Friday, April 8, 2011.

On the same day, Canadian authorities contacted law enforcement officers and stated that they had stopped Steven Evans, along with the children, at the border. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jack Grate issued an arrest warrant for child abduction.

Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Tabor. It was investigated by the Lee's Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canada Border Services Agency.