SPOKANE — The Pullman man accused of kidnapping his toddler in May and taking her to Mexico made his first appearance in federal court Friday.
Aaron Aung, 21, was escorted into Magistrate Judge James Goeke’s courtroom wearing a yellow Spokane County Jail shirt.
United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref spoke after Aung’s arraignment. She said she chose to prosecute this case federally due to its “international nature.”
Waldref added that her “office prioritizes offenses against our community’s youngest and most vulnerable victims and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm children.”
Aung’s charge of international parental kidnapping are relatively “unique” for the office, Waldref noted.
Aung made headlines earlier this year when he and his fiancé left the country with Aung’s daughter, of whom he maintained joint custody with the child’s mother, according to court documents.
Aung’s fiance, Nadia Cole, was reported missing on May 29. Four days later, Aung and his daughter’s mother had a scheduled exchange to retrieve his daughter. Aung and their daughter, however, did not arrive at their meeting point — the Pullman Police Department, according to court records.
The child’s mother spoke with police and said that Aung may have been driving his father’s car, according to court documents. Officials identified that car as having crossed from California to Mexico on June 1.
On July 4, Aung, Cole and his daughter were “contacted by Mexican officials” and shortly after were returned to the U.S.
Aung’s attorney asked Friday for detention and preliminary hearings to be set for Thursday.
Goeke granted their request as well as the prosecutor’s motion for a no-contact order with witnesses and victims.
Waldref said additional charges are possible as the case unfolds.
