SYRACUSE -- A father accused of kidnapping his daughter and keeping her overseas for five years made his first court appearance Wednesday.
Jeffery Shipman, 51, of Liverpool, is charged with international parental kidnapping. That's a violation of federal law. Shipman pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom in Syracuse.
Prosecutors say Shipman kidnapped his daughter Deonna after a visit in Liverpool in 2007. The two have been living in Thailand.
Deonna was three years old when she was kidnapped. The Liverpool community rallied behind Deonna's mother, Luba, at the time. Deonna and her mother have been reunited.
If convicted, Jeffery Shipman faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His family stood up for his actions, saying he is a good person who would do anything to protect his daughter.
